Brave Sir Robinson
by patattack750
Summary: Inspired by Forged Destiny! Uploaded with permission. Jaune was a humble Blacksmith. He liked his life he enjoyed being a peasant. He had no dreams of grandeur or ever being more than what he was a Blacksmith. Unfortunate for him life has other plans. Now after a devastating attack, he is forced to enroll in Beacon Academy of heroes! Where he will become a legend die in the process
1. Chapter 1

**_An: OK! Here it is! I have been promising this for a while so here you go! The fic inspired by Couer's Forged Destiny is here! Here it Jaune's journey from humble blacksmith forced from his comfortable life by the world and made to go to Beacon Academy of hero's against his will as he is forced to fight and live or fail and die. There are no other options for him Jaune must be a hero or die in the process..._**

* * *

 _Cold_. It was always cold when I woke up. My eyes blurred open and I shifted in my bed. The warm straw scratching my back, as a low groan left my lips as I looked up to the bare stone ceiling loosely stitched together with clay and straw that was my home.  
"Time to get up."  
I said yawning loudly, my eyes roaming around still dreamily fighting off the last vestiges of sleep that clung to them for dear life. I yawned once my eyes flicking back to life, the last bits of sleep vanquished as I finally got out of bed. It took me a moment to right myself as the familiar _cracks!_ And groans of the wood warping under my feet filled the air.

"I'll need to fix that," I muttered lowly yawning for what I hoped was the last time this morning. Creeping around my dim room, dawning the light leather top that I had worn for the last two years. Dusting it off and sliding it over my head the clothes slid over my face. Even if I could not see them, the glowing red letters hanging above it still read Blacksmith, it was time to start the day.

/ / /  
"At least I have a drink."  
I moaned as I poured a long tall pillar of water from the small well in the kitchen. The small pump hummed with a glow as it filled my large wooden mug, the fine mug filled with rough wooden hairs that tickled my exposed skin that still reeked of the mead from the saint's day party yesterday. The whole village got together to celebrate the holiday and the mead had flowed like water in a deluge. The effects of the mead were still heavy on my head as I grunted in pain.  
"Damn hangover, I usually have the constitution for this."  
I grumbled ignoring the many iron daggers impacting the inside of my brain as I groggily made my way out of the deathly still kitchen complete with one lone long wooden table with seats for ten.  
"At least no one else is up yet, I don't usually get this level of quiet."  
I said gratefully, thanking the light for small miracles such as these. With a family as big as mine, a quiet house was a blessing that did not come often and it was a blessing if it came over every other fortnight. But blessing had their time and now it was time to earn my pay. "Time to get to work."  
I said as I put down my mug and went about my day as your average _Blacksmith._

 _/ / /_

 _FISHT!_

The sound of hissing water along with a rush of hot white steam filled the air, blue eyes narrowed in on the steam as a spell was cast.  
 _"Burn."_  
I said as I watched the metal glow a bright orange color as the water hissed and popped! I grunted moving my hands forward as I held the blade deep in the cool water before sensing the timing was right I yanked it out. There was a long hiss _fisht!_ Of water turning into steam as I pulled the blade out of the bucket. Yanking it out in one fell swoop as the glowing orange metal hissed in the air. long drops of water falling off it as it _burned_. I looked at the blade with a masters eyes, glaring daggers at it as it glowed a bright orange.

"Come on... come on you..." I said eyeing the blade like a falcon would a hay mouse as it turned to from scalding crimson to a deep orange to a brilliant yellow before finally settling down. I took one second to view the result of my handiwork as a low smile split my face.

 _"Level three._ A good level." I said instantly aware of the weapons level as I nodded my head in approval. The weapon was a _decent_ level and would fetch me a good price. easily making up the work I put into and allowing me to do even more work in the future.  
 _Good. A decent level. I'll be able to sell this to a hero for sure._

I thought as I smiled. The weapon now dubbed _Obscurus_ held high in my hand as I inspected my work. "A good blade for a good man. Or woman."  
I added the effects of seven sisters kicking in, most of them far older than myself and only the final two younger, and that was by a hair's breadth. I sighed letting a smile spread across my lips as I put the weapon to rest a voice called out from the top of the house, making me set down my work as I heard a feminine shout.  
 _"Jaune!_ We got some runners from the front of the village! Come and see what they want from us!"  
"Yes, mom!"  
I yelled as my mother Juniper Arc called for my attention. Normally she would greet the runner herself but she was probably busy with Cherry. My younger sibling who despite being almost _ten_ still had difficulty getting out of bed. Let alone working in the smith like me or her sisters.

 _When will she finally learn to work?_  
I thought, sighing deeply. I was the only _real_ Blacksmith or I was the only one that worked as one at the house. My older sisters had _long_ since left home and now worked out of town during the day and returned only at the _far_ hours of the night, father worked in the nearby city of Vale giving him almost no time to come home and besides, my mother and I usually worked alone.

"Might as well see what the runner wants."  
I said putting down my blade, reaching for a holster. Even if I was _not_ going to swing it, it never hurt to have a blade on you in the day. _Better safe than sorry_. I thought strapping _Obscurus_ to my back and leaving the dim dank confines of the basement forge of the Arc family home opening the wooden door relishing the crisp clean Ansel air that washed over my face. Cleaning off the sweat and must of the forge as the sprawling woods and rolling green hills of my home greeted me.

As I walked out I saw a blurring pale figure approaching me the runner, a man named Misha with pale skin brown hair green eyes and a fur hat was running at me in a dead sprint for some reason. Running like his life was in danger as-  
"Misha! What's the hurry!?"  
I asked smiling as my friend ran over to me as-  
 _"Grimm! GRIMM_ in the village!"  
Misha yelled as my jaw dropped before he could speak a black object blurred over the hill like a massive black ball rolling across the grass before it fell over Misha and ripped him in half.  
"Misha?! _NO!"_  
I wanted to yell out in despair. My friend was torn in two ripped into bloody pieces by a ball of black and white. I wanted to scream in protest but another dark object appeared on my right. The massive four-legged monster crawling down the side of my house growling at me as I _screamed._ The red eyes monster was not impressed at my screech snapping its jaws in irritation as it lept off the building shooting straight at me massive jaws snapping.

It never reached me as a second ball of black tackled me from my right blindsiding me and sending me flying as my legs were yanked out from under me as my vision spun. The Beowulf? As it was called attacked me, from nowhere. Hitting me from the side, the one on the house serving as a distraction. I screamed as I was hit. A claw tearing into my side digging into my flesh as my aura flashed and-  
" _AHH!"_  
The monster bit into my throat its teeth flashing out as it leaped onto me. It's weight forcing me off balance as I screamed, hot agony spilled into my veins as its teeth latched onto my throat, as its claws surged forward to my sides. Spinning us both to the ground like tops as the monster's talons by some miracle failed to find any purchase on my thin leathers. Instead scrambling off me as we tumbled to the ground.

Still, it hurt like hell. The monster's claws _dug_ into my flesh as I screamed in agony bolts of white-hot pain shot in into my body. I felt my blood spill out of my mouth, the coppery taste of it hot on my tongue like a sticky syrup on a pastry I saw waves of red, the massive monster pushed back off the ground, leaping back onto me and tearing off a chunk of my neck and _ripping_ it off. Before jumping back my hands fell to my neck where blood squirted out like a fountain. The monster had a piece of my _flesh_ in its mouth like a piece of damn jerky. It _snapped_ up my shorn flesh like it was a scrap of meat _swallowing_ it and growling at me.

As the blood left my neck my legs went weak and I felt my pulse dim and fall. The monster ripping me apart even a glance at my stats showed that my aura was deep in the red.  
 _"NO!"_  
I yelled taking a defensive stance while the monster was glaring death at me. The massive dog-like beast growling in defiance and rage as I gasped clutching my bleeding neck as I took a defensive stance.  
"Get away from my house and family!"  
I yelled as the monster dove forward uncaring of the words of the frightened near death human blocking its path. Its claws flashed out, as I felt it. _Obscurus,_ the blade I had just forged was slung on my back waiting to be used. I was _not_ a hero. I was a _peasant_ , an NPC. I had _no_ chance to do this but the monster was going to kill me but still! I would not die without a fight.

 _"Just die!_ " I yelled out as I drew the weapon, taking a step forward as I swung the sword clumsily, I was an NPC never meant to experience real combat but now here I was fighting for my life with predictable results. My strength stat, while stronger than most other NPCs was nothing compared to a hero class's but it would have to work, I had no choice. Sword, met claw as I was pushed down. The monster fell on top of me, its teeth snapping as-  
"Get _off_ of him!"  
A loud feminine voice yelled out as the monster was suddenly turned into red pulp. The thing vanished into a fine red mist as a wall of _white rose petals?_ Filled my vision, as a woman in a white cloak stood in front of me twin swords in her hand and one dead Grimm on her blades.

"Are you ok!?"  
The woman said standing over me in a defensive position her gleaming silver blades still slick with blood as I struggled to stand up, blood loss coupled with shock filling my vision with red haze.  
"Yeah... I think I'm ok-  
 _"AHH!"_  
I cried as a claw came from nowhere striking down on my critically low aura sending it to _zero_ as I prepared to die and-  
 _DONG!_  
My world ended in a moment as the world froze as she heard it. The hero a tall woman a beautiful _Ranger_ with blood brown hair and silver eyes gasped. An Ursa blindsided me from out of thin air, the monster's paw, falling like a meteorite on its way to end my short life, crashed down and-  
 _DONG!_  
A flash of red filled my vision as the monsters claw _bounced_ off of my shoulder. A burgundy wall of energy appearing on my body deflecting the monster's paw as if it was a pinprick and not an appendage the size of my head as a loud bell tolled out filling the air with an ominous _DONG!_ Filled the air I wanted to _scream._  
"No! No! NO! NO! _NO!"_  
I yelled as I saw it happening, my class _changed,_ I couldn't see it but I _felt_ it. I felt the red letters that spelled Blacksmith began to chip and _crack!_  
I screamed.  
 _NO! NO! NO! This can't be happening!_  
I thought, panicking as the Ursa's paw lifted and came crashing down on my neck, threatening to snap it in two as-

 _DONG!_  
Another low _dong_ filled the air as my body glowed the color of old blood as a literal burgundy barrier appeared around me. Blocking the Grimm paw like it was nothing sending it spiraling back as the word _Blacksmith_ _shattered_ and was replaced by the word _Partisan._  
"NO!"  
I yelled as I saw my class change as I felt the cold hand of death on me as my semblance triggered. Filling the air with the cold hard _DONG!_ Of my _Death's Door_ as-  
 _FISHT!_  
The Ursa exploded into a thin red paste as the woman with silver eyes glared at me. Her eyes boring deep into my soul as she frowned once. Putting her twin blood-soaked silver blades behind her back as she began to step forward. _"You_ are coming with me. You need to see Ozpin, now."  
The _Ranger_ said glaring at me with a look of sheer intensity, her voice brokered no argument and I knew my fate was sealed. Even I wanted to fight she was a _hero_ I was a peasant I had no chance of resistance, so I _quit._ I fell to my knees _Obscurus_ barley clutched in one hand hot tears flowing from my eyes as the sounds of burning homes and the screams of my family filled my ears as my normal life ended in a ball of fire...

/ / /

 _WHAP!_

I jerked to the side wincing in pain as I felt my neck almost snapped.  
 _"Sorry!_ Are you ok? You took a beating back in your village! You want me to slow down?"  
The woman the _Ranger_ now know as _Summer Rose_ asked, her hands that I knew from experience could break metal like twigs gripping tight on the reins of the horse pulling our carriage along the dull, hole-ridden path on the way to Beacon academy for heroes! And subsequently the place of my looming and impending death."No... I'm fine..."  
I said not looking the beautiful woman in the eyes, my teenage brain, even when threatened with imminent death, was still just that a teenager, and for some reason, I could not quite tear away my eyes from the _ample_ bosom of the woman barely contained in her thin red maille and-  
"You sure? Your face is red!"  
Summer asked her face wide with a level of concern that I was not sure was fully appropriate on a woman who was taking me to be killed.  
"I'm not red!"  
"You are red as a _beat!_ Not even my daughter's cape is as red as you are! Do you need some water? Or a prayer? I know a spell that can soothe a fever."  
Summer asked her voice flowing like smooth wine. Rolling over me and intoxicating me with its flow.  
 _Easy there Jaune, her charisma is probably higher than yours, scratch that it is definitely higher than yours. Don't let her win you over so easily._  
I thought, shaking my head ruminating on not having better stats. I, like every other person in Remnant, had stats that displayed my total physical prowess, including _Strength, Charisma, Wisdom, Intelligence, Constitution, Dexterity_ , and _Perception._  
My greatest stat, Strength, was eighteen and my lowest, Wisdom, was at seven. I had no idea what Summer's stat's where but I knew that they were easily far above my own. She was a hero after all.  
"Umm... Summer?"  
I asked hopeful that maybe my jailer could be talked out of taking me to my death.  
"Yes? What is it?"  
"Where are we going?" I asked the Ranger before mentally berating myself.  
 _Stupid! You know where we are going!_  
"To Beacon silly! You are going to be a hero now! Oh, I can't wait! You are going to love being a hero! It's so much _fun!"_  
Summer said practically _giddy,_ as she squealed with joy. Her small lithe body shaking with happiness as she laughed.  
"What if I don't want to go to Beacon?"  
"What? Why would you not want to go? Jaune! You are going to be a hero!"

"But what if I don't want to be?"  
"You don't have a choice."  
Summer said all joy leaving her voice at once as her tone felt like ice daggers in my neck.  
"I... what's going to happen to me at Beacon?"  
"Well for one you are going to meet the headmaster, my boss."  
"And then?"  
"Well... you are most likely going to die."  
Summer said, smiling as if she had just told me that I was a secret noble at not about to face my maker.  
"What?!"  
"You are a Partisan. You were an _NPC_ until yesterday! Today you go to be a hero! Right on time to. If I found you later on then you might have missed this year's entrance exams!"  
"So I was found right on time?"  
"Yup!"  
Summer chirped making me grumble. I was not sure if the luck skill existed or not but if it did mine was in the negatives.  
"Do you think I can make it?"  
I asked looking for some reassurance as-  
"Most likely not. Most Partisans die before they pass their entrance exams. Sorry, but look on the bright side! Those that live tend to become legends! So you have about a fifty, fifty chance of dying tomorrow or becoming a legendary hero! Doesn't that sound great!?"  
"A fifty, fifty odds of dying? Not really?"  
"Well chin up buster! Cause you are going to Beacon whether you want to or not!"  
Summer said again her voice once again perpetually happy making me sigh as the cart was pulled ever closer to my doom as I saw the looming tower of Beacon standing like a massive stone sword in the distance. We rode in a somewhat comfortable silence for a time before I broached a more looming question.  
"Summer?"  
"Yes, Jaune?"  
"Why am I wearing these ropes?"

"So you don't run away!"  
Summer said as I held up my bound hands, noting the tightly bound rope that started at my ankles and wrapped around my arms and wrists holding me fast to the cart.  
"Can you untie them for me?"  
"Nope! If you do that you might try to run away!"  
"And if I do that?"  
"I'll bring you back to the cart!"  
"And if I keep doing it?"  
"I'll _break_ your legs!"  
Summer chirped as I balked.  
"Isn't that a bit extreme!?"  
"Not in my book!"  
Summer sang as I balked.  
"My legs!"  
"Your legs?"  
"You'll break them!?"  
'If you run yes. Why?"  
"Don't break my legs!"  
"Don't run away."  
"I won't!"  
"So you have nothing to worry about! It's like I tell my daughter, she's a bit younger than you! I tell her if you don't want a spanking then don't steal a pastry! Same thing you know?"  
"That's _totally_ different!"  
"How?"  
"One is a tap the other is maiming me so bad I can't _walk!"_  
"It's not that bad."  
"You would break my legs!"  
"If you prefer I can break one leg _and_ one arm, will that work out for you?"  
"NO! Don't break any bones on me! Please."  
I added not wanting to offend the hero as she nodded.  
"So don't give me a reason to! Now calm down! You are going to love being a hero!"  
"If I live!"  
"If you live."  
Summer agreed as I groaned shaking my tight-roped bonds before deciding that escape was useless.  
"What happens if I die?"  
I asked making the woman go still.  
"Then you will die. Your family will be informed of it and your last will, if done, will be read to your family and any treasure or items you have accumulated will be given to them unless you specifically request otherwise. Questions?"  
"When do I take my exam?"  
"Tomorrow! Bright and early!"  
"Great. I can die early."  
"Well with that attitude what can you do? You need to get that chin up and put your best foot out there!"  
Summer said as I gave up and let the cart take me to my death.

/ / /

"Is this it?"  
I asked as Summer herded me down the Beacon hallways. The long flowing hallways of the school seemed to swallow me whole as Summer led us deeper into the school. "Yup! We are here! Time for you to meet the boss!"

Summer said as she forced me onto the crimson carpets of Beacon Academy of heroes, the massive stone walls illuminated by dim torchlight on thier sides that created long dark shadows that chased after me like spindly hands. Making me wish I had died back in my home, as she guided me, the former NPC, to her boss and to meet my fate.

"What is Ozpin like?" I finally asked wondering what the hell this man who would decide how I lived or died was like, while Summer persuaded me down a hall her long skinny finger poking me along as I gulped nervously.  
"Oh, he's great! You are going to _love_ him!" Summer said, her voice still bright and melodic as she prodded me in the back.

"Really?"  
"Yes!"  
Summer said in her perpetual happy tone as I smiled maybe this was not going to be so bad? Maybe this Ozpin was good? Maybe he could see reason! I might be a Partisan but! I was also a kid! I had never fought a day in my life! Surely he would see reason and send me home right?! My family must be worried sick! Seeing a stranger who saved their lives suddenly tie up their only son, hog tie him over her shoulder and take him away must not have been good for their mental health! And if the man was as good as Summer said-  
"OK! We are here! Let's say hi!"  
Summer said as we stopped before a massive wooden door that opened without Summer touching it. _A spell of some kind? Enchanted wood maybe?_  
I thought as I entered the room prodded gently by Summer. The inside of the interior was warm pleasantly so. A massive oak desk that was larger than most rooms that I had seen stared back to me.

Sitting on a massive crimson carpet that reminded me of fresh blood. A large mounted animal head filled the walls as a crackling fire roared in the background. At the head of the table, a thin old man with skin the color of snow and hair the shade of rain and eye's like Summer's cloak smiled warmly at me.  
 _"Oh?_ What do we have here? Something interesting?"  
The man's voice was warm and welcoming, just being around him set my mind at ease. The man had the word _Warlock_ floating above his head as I gulped.  
"Yes, we do sir! Look what I found! A _Blacksmith!"_ Summer said happily pulling the rope still attached to my arms and legs a bit jerking me forward making me stumble forward.  
"Thank you, Summer. Now mister Partisan can you tell me your name?"  
The Warlock Ozpin asked a gentle smile on his lips as he took a long sip of a steaming mug and-  
 _"Jaune Arc!_ His name is Jaune Arc of Ansel!"  
Summer said as Ozpin sighed.  
"I was asking _him_ Summer not you but thank you for your enthusiasm it is appreciated as always."  
"Whoops! Sorry, sir!"  
"It is ok dear, now Jaune Arc of Ansel was it?"  
"Sir! Yes, Sir! I think there has been a grave misunderstanding sir!" I said immediately pleading my case as Ozpin flashed me a curious look. Like an animal that was hearing English and unsure of what was being said to it. I _didn't_ like it.

"Oh? Do tell me what you think said misunderstanding to be? If it is in my power to correct it I will do so."

"Sir! I do not belong here! I'm not a hero!"  
 _"Were_. Correction Mister Arc, you _were_ not a hero now you are. I hope you forgive me but not only should you be here you _do_ belong here. Despite your misplaced objections."

"Sir please listen to me! I can't fight!"  
 _"Yet._ You can not fight yet. Soon you will be able to fight with the best of them."  
"But I can't do that! Don't you think I should go home?"  
"Quite the contrary I want to keep you right where you are. Not literally mind you. I won't root you to the spot you stand on even though I could do so easily _if_ I so wished."

The man said flashing me a toothy smile revealing twin rows of what seemed to be _far_ too many perfect white teeth that made my heart pound, twirling his finger as a low pulse of blue energy flowed out of it making me shiver. As I felt a cold hand run up my spine.

"You are going to enroll in my school Jaune. Starting tomorrow you will take the hero entrance exam. There you will start your journey or you will die either way your life as an NPC has ended. It is best if you knew that."  
The Warlock said with grim finality in a tone that brokered no argument as I gulped.  
"Sir... what will happen to me now?" I asked a defeated tone in my voice as Ozpin smiled an ethereal smile that sent ice water down into my veins. "Tomorrow will decide your destiny Jaune. Whether you live or die. If you live? You will start the journey that thousands have started before you and embark on the path of a hero. If you die? Then your journey will end just like untold millions have already. For what it is worth you have my support."  
I gulped my fist balled up as I gritted my teeth.

"Sir, what are the survival rates?" I asked desperately for some hope of return, the smile from Ozpin quashed any dreams of that I might have.  
"I was hoping you would ask that. Every year we receive approximately one _thousand_ hero applicants. You are one of them. The hero training program is four years long. In the first year, roughly twenty percent of them will be _dead._ And that's just the first year."

The man said as despite a roaring fire a ghostly chill filled the room as I felt the cold hands of death dig into my chest. Long, thin, knife-like nails dug into my skin. I felt my breathing hitch as invisible ice daggers entered my lungs, making me scream internally as I began to sweat.

"Sir? Only the first year what do you mean?"I asked already dreading the answer as the man smirked.  
"The casualty rate goes up. The next year out of the surviving student's _thirty_ percent will die by the end of the year."

"Thirty!?"  
"Yes, and it only goes up.' Ozpin said in a matter of fact manner making my blood freeze in its veins despite the roaring fire that was making me sweat.  
"How!?"  
"Simple attrition mister Arc. The more you live the more dangerous quests you are told to take on. After that, the third years suffer sixty percent casualties." "That's double?!"  
"It is. The third year is especially _rough_ for us. Now after that, the fourth years will do a little better and only suffer around fifty percent losses.'  
 _"Fifty?"_  
I asked my voice barely above a whisper as the man solemnly nodded.  
"Yes being a hero is a dangerous job but it is one that is needed. And those born into the hero caste accept it with a grim duty. It is our duty to fight to save the world from the monsters of darkness. And it is a duty that we will _never_ shrink nor walk away from. It is a mantle that you will also take up as well." "Sir... I don't know if I can do this."  
"We will find out soon enough now won't we?"  
The man asked a ghost of a smile on his face as-  
 _Whap!_  
The door to the office was thrown open as a panting haggard voice sounded off.  
"Sir! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to be late!" A tired haggard feminine voice shouted as a third party entered the room.  
"It's quite ok Glynda. Please take a seat I am just interviewing our newest student." Ozpin said smiling as the heavy panting grew louder.  
 _Did he say, Glynda?_  
I thought as the clicking of heels filled the air as a woman in her late twenties with long blonde hair walked forward panting hard as she turned around as-

Emerald eyes locked onto mine, as a tall blonde woman with the word _Witch_ over her head appeared and-  
 _"Jaune!?"_  
 _"Aunt Glynda?"_  
I asked as my aunt the _literal_ Witch of Ansel appeared, in front of me, her sharp green eyes widened in fear as she saw the word above my head.  
"Jaune?! What are you doing here!?"  
My aunt Glynda yelled as her beautiful face fell into one of horror and-  
" _Aunt Glynda?_ Do you know Jaune?"  
Ozpin asked a sly smirk on his face as Glynda's mouth dropped.  
"He... he's my nephew..."  
Glynda said a shocked broken tone in her voice as her eyes usually sharp as daggers began to break. Tears formed in her eyes as she zeroed in on my class her eyes wide as dinner plates and-

"Oh light, please _no._ Not you." Glynda whispered as-

"Really? I did not know you had any family."  
"I don't... his family saved my life when I was younger... I owe his mother my life and she brought me into their family unofficially."  
Glynda said her voice cracking as the beginning of tears formed on her face as-

"Ahh, I see. Now Jaune, now that I have explained things to you, do you have any questions for me?"

"What are the casualty rates for Partisans?"  
 _"Double_ that of heroes," Ozpin said as I gulped.  
"Thank you, sir, that is all.'  
"Good. Summer take Jaune to the sleeping quarters and do keep a close eye on him, do not let him... _wonder."_  
Ozpin said fixing me a firm glare as Summer nodded.  
"You got it, sir! Come on Jaune! Time to go!"  
Summer chirped as she yanked on my rope making me shout as she began to drag me out of the room.  
"Jaune! I'll write to your mother! I'll send a raven!" Aunt Glynda shouted as-  
"You don't want to _ask_ Raven?"  
Ozpin asked as-  
"It's ok aunt Glyn. Don't worry about me. Tell Clem I love her."  
I said as Summer dragged me out of the door into the hall to seal my fate.

/ / /

"Why the long face? You look like you just learned you are going to die!"  
Summer said chirping as she pulled me down the dim torch-lit hallways of Beacon. Our feet making soft, muffled dents into the rich carpet as long creeping shadows danced and flickered down the hallway.  
"I just got told that I am going to die, you _will_ excuse my mood." I almost growled as Summer giggled?  
"Oh, you! You don't know you are going to die!"  
"I have an almost guaranteed death! What do you think that speech was!?"  
"I think it was you getting an option."  
"An option?"  
"Yes, an option you have a choice. You can go out there like you are already accepting your death like a coward or! You can _fight."_  
Summer said her voice becoming like steel as I gulped.  
"Fight?"  
"You are a living creature Jaune. Don't give up just cause things are bad. So what you are probably going to die? So what you are not an NPC anymore? Jaune this is a _once_ in a lifetime moment! You get to be a hero! You can be a legend! You can be the NPC who became a myth! Don't you want to be a hero?"

"In my home, I had a family. I love them and they me. I'm probably never going to see them again now. My family my friends they are all probably worried sick! The next time they see me I'm going to be in a box assuming I have not been eaten, burned, lost or _fucking_ stomped by a Grimm!"  
I shouted at the hero as-  
"Hey! _Language!_ Young man you say that word again and I'll wash your mouth!"  
Summer said suddenly back to what I now called _mom mode_ as I sighed.  
"Summer I don't want to die."  
"Then _don't."_  
"Really?"  
"Yes really Jaune, stop being such a wimp! Get out there! If you don't want to die, if you want to see your family again you know what you have to do?"  
"No?"  
"Fight! Go out there and kick some but! You need to strike down everything in your path! You are a hero! You can fight now! Use that! Get angry! Be determined! If you want to see your family you have to survive!"  
"I never asked for this, I just want to go home."  
"Nobody ever asked to die Jaune. At least no one in their right mind that is. Life rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing but it has called you. Destiny has called you, now the way that I see it you have two choices."  
 _"One._ You can continue to mope and complain and say why me!? Why am I suffering so much! And you will eventually die."  
"Or?"  
"Or you can go out there. Sword held high and say to hell with you monsters, bandits and ne'er do wells! My name Is Jaune Arc! A partisan! I am a hero and I will be going home to see my family again! Any who stand in my way shall perish under my righteous strikes! You have the ability to _forge_ _your own destiny_ Jaune! That's amazing!"  
Summer said taking a heroic pose that looked ridiculous as I laughed, despite myself. Her charisma score evidently higher than mine as I felt a bit confident.

"You really are a good mom huh?"  
"I"m the best! OH! If you see my daughter she looks like me! Her name is Ruby! If you see her please do me a favor and look out for her! She is a sweet girl but a shy one. If you look out for her she will watch you back for you in the field ok?"  
"Sure, I guess."  
"Good! Now get some sleep Jaune and Welcome to the hero Class!"

/ / /

Sleep did not come easy for me. The moment I put my head down on the small hay pillow in the general quarters I swore that I blinked to morning. I groaned getting up wishing that the Light had seen it fit to give me a decent last night sleep instead of making me have a quick dreamless sleep.  
I gave one last look down to the makeshift sleeping bag that might just have been the last thing I ever got to sleep on. I picked up the sword that had been my last job as an NPC, the longsword now named _Obscurus_ that glowed a simmering black that rippled in the light. It was a good blade level three. Not bad, much better than most heroes got to use at least. I slid the sword into his sheath sighing once as I slapped my face twice and made my way out of the common room to the massive Beacon courtyard where it was already noon and even so nearly hundreds upon hundreds of hero classes were all ready to go meet there, and now my, fate.

/ / /

I sighed making my way into the mob of densely packed heroes, I saw all kinds of classes out and about intermingling, jostling, and overall acting like this was the best day of their lives. All around me were _Fighters, Mages, Archers, Hellions,_ and _Knights._ All forming a circle talking about party formations. A _Cleric_ was being pestered by a _Rogue_ to join him and two other members, a _Cavalier_ and a _Lancer,_ but the _Cleric_ was not having it.  
To my far right, a massive gathering of what was known as the villain class stood under a large oak tree. Dozens of _Thieves, Corsairs, Scoundrels_ and-  
 _"Beautiful."_  
I felt the words leave my mouth as an _Assassin_ sitting on top of a large birch tree noticed me, she cocked her head at me as if seeing a mouse in a field of lions. Her amber eyes blinked twice in interest before I tore my head away blushing fiercely as-  
 _FAP!_  
 _"AH!"_  
 _"OW!"_  
A voice said as I bumped into something incredibly soft as I saw a girl on the ground in front of me.  
"Oh! I'm sorry!"  
I said reaching down to the down girl with-  
 _A Reaper!?_  
I thought as I felt my blood run cold as I saw the red word _Reaper_ on the girls face as a scream was almost ripped from my throat as I froze. _A Reaper was here?! A reaper was here?! Of god! Out of all the classes, the reaper was the worst! A subset of the villain class, Reapers were insane! Genocidal sociopaths the reapers relished in carnage and bloodshed! They loved taking human life and bathing in the blood of their victims-_

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going!"  
The cold-blooded sociopath? Said with the cutest voice I had ever heard. Her head cocking up as I saw twin pools of silver eyes on the cutest! Face I had ever seen staring back up at me. "Do you need help?"  
I asked my inner social graces kicking in as against all the self-preservation instincts I held out my hand to a member of the most psychopathic class in existence! The Reaper much to her credit looked just as shocked as I felt. Her eyes widening as my class filled her eyes as she tentatively reached out her thin shaking hand to mine.  
 _Remember Jaune, she's a stranger and a stranger is a friend you have not met! Even if they are genocidal sociopaths._

I thought as I pulled the surprisingly light girl up my eyes narrowed instinctively on her scythe as I automatically appraised it. _Poor quality scythe. Level two almost level one actually. She has not done maintenance on it in... months? Maybe ever_? I thought as my natural Blacksmith skills kicked in. I, just like all Blacksmiths, had the ability to check a weapon's level. All hero weapons had levels, at each level the weapon would become better. It could do more damage, be used much easier and would have more stats for its user.

All weapons had levels and technically any weapon could reach level ten in theory but that had never happened. Most hero weapons never reached level _three._ The highest I even remembered hearing about was a level four but that was some time ago. Every time heroes used their weapons they degraded from level to level and eventually, they hit zero and eventually _broke._ A Blacksmith could fix them but-

"Ruby! Ruby Rose! That's my name!"  
The reaper said blushing widely as I had yet to let go of her hand.  
"AH! Jaune! Jaune Arc nice to meet you, Ruby!"  
I said my face evidently trying and failing to hide my fear as-  
"Don't worry! You don't have to worry... I'm not a bad Reaper, I won't hurt you I promise! _Pinky swear!"_  
Ruby said holding out her hand extending her pinky finger in a gesture of goodwill in a _far_ too childlike manner for a mass murderer to achieve.  
"I... ok..."  
I said still not trusting the reaper to not tear me in half the moment I blinked to fast.  
"I... alright. I'm Jaune! I'm-  
"A Partisan!? That's so cool!"  
Ruby said silver eyes sparkling making me lose some level of trepidation.  
"I don't think it's very cool."  
 _"What!?_ You are so cool! You can make weapons! You keep weapons alive!"  
Ruby squealed as I felt a blush come to my face at an admittedly cute girl paying me a compliment.

"Well I'm not that great, I mean I could take a look at your weapon if you want."  
I said as Ruby gasped once.  
"Really! You would do that for me?!"  
Ruby asked blurring!? The girl somehow blurred up to me in a shower of roses as she was suddenly far too close to my face for comfort. Even if she was not a sociopath in hiding having a cute girl around my age that was _A_ interested in me and _B_ not from my village made me blush profusely.

"Yeah! I can do that just tell me when ok?"  
I asked as Ruby squeaked.  
"Oh thank you! Thank you so much!"  
Ruby said jumping in the air as-  
"Do you ever _stop!?"_  
A shrill voice yelled as Ruby froze.

"Eep! It's the mean girl! Jaune!"  
Ruby said blurring behind me as my head cocked to the source of the voice.  
"Beautiful.'  
I thought for the second time today as what had to be the most beautiful woman I had ever seen looked at me. Her eyes were sharp like diamonds and a light teal color. Her hair was the color of snow and her dress reminded me of the falling white powder. She had the word MAGE above her head as she saw me, I felt my cheeks reddened as the literal manifestation of beauty looked at me and gasped.  
"You are a Partisan!"  
She practically shouted as I gulped.  
"Yes? Is that a problem?"  
"NO! I... I... my name is _Weiss Schnee."_

The girl said closing her eyes balling up her fist and turning away her head as if being prepared to be struck? Why does she look so scared?  
I thought as the girl held her staff a level two staff like Ruby's but unlike Ruby's broken chipped scythe Weiss's staff was on the high end of the level spectrum and was shining like clean snow.  
"Ok, Weiss... my name is Jaune Arc, nice to meet you!" I said holding out my hand not wanting to offend the mage as she froze. Her beautiful teal eyes looked up to me like I was suddenly stricken with a third arm. Her eyes opened to saucer-like proportions as her mouth gaped open.  
"Did... did you hear me... I said my name is _Weiss Schnee."_

The girl said her eyes wide and panicky giving her the look of a deer in the face of a Grimm.  
"I did... is that a problem?"  
I asked as Weiss balked.  
"You... you are not running away?"  
 _"Should_ I be?"  
I asked as a wave of panic began to rise in me as-  
"No, you should not! I apologize for my rudeness Jaune my name is Weiss Schnee _formerly_ of Atlas. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, and I hope for a long and productive relationship with you." Weiss said taking my hand and bowing deeply as I blushed.

"Uh, I do too?"I said as Ruby finally began to look out her silver eyes wide with fear as she gripped onto my arm for dear life.  
"Hey, Weiss I'm-  
"You _dolt!_ What are you doing!? Get off of him this instant!" Weiss shouted moving like lighting and literally yanking Ruby off my arm making her _eep!_  
"Weiss! Don't pull on me!"  
"Then don't touch people without their consent! Really! Jaune I apologize for her boorish behavior. And I would like to personally assure you that it does not reflect on the hero class or myself! So please take my most humble offering as an apology." Weiss said bowing and forcing Ruby to bow as well making me blush and stutter.  
"Umm Weiss! You are a bit close!"  
I said as Weiss blushed. "I'm sorry! I was just looking out for your best interest! Some heroes are a bit _uncertain."_  
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!?"  
"It means you act like a Barbarian!"  
Weiss shouted as-  
"Did someone call for a _Barbarian!?"_

A loud feminine voice yelled as a massive hammer?! Crashed into the ground next to them as all three jumped back as a massive silver Warhammer with a weapon level of two crashed down into the ground wielded by a fiery Ginger with teal eyes the word Barbarian floating above her head as she grinned.

"Hey, there fellow heroes! Name's Nora Valkyrie! Barbarian at your service!"  
The tall ginger girl said saluting them all with a sharp salute twirling her Warhammer that was almost as long as I was tall like it was a twig as she slammed it down next to her feet with a heavy metal clank!

The girl grinned fire cackling in her mouth as-  
"Nora! Please do not scare our friends."  
A calm irritated voice said as a _Monk?_ Of all things with long black hair swathe in green robes walked up panting next to her as-  
"Ah don't worry Renny! We are already good friends and look! A Partisan! Isn't that cool!?" The Barbarian asked pointing at me like I was some kind of pet.  
"It is Nora but please. Do not bother him. He is probably _very_ busy."  
Ren said flashing me a calm smile that made me finally feel like someone as on my side-  
"Oh look! A rare one!"  
Nora said pointing to her left as I followed her finger to see a tall redhead, with the word _Champion_ over her face.  
"What's that?"  
I thought as-  
"Jaune! Do you see that? We need to go meet her!"  
Weiss shouted as the redhead heard her emerald eyes flashing with worry as-  
"How about no. I don't even know who she is but she looks like she's in a bit of a bind with those people around her."  
I said as I swore she heard me as her face beamed in my general direction as Weiss gawked.  
"Jaune do you know who that is?!"  
"No. Should I?"  
Ok, that redhead had a hearing ability cause she heard that. Her head jerked to me and a smile that could break the sky split her face and-  
"Students! Heroes of tomorrow! Please gather here!"  
The booming voice of my aunt shouted as I turned to see my aunt Glynda who looked like she had been through hell and back. Her normally bright green eyes that were full of laughter were filled with worry as heavy black bags hung under them. She had not gotten any sleep last night.  
 _"I'm sorry aunt Glynda."_

I whispered under my breath as my aunt began to speak casting a spell to amplify her voice so that the literal hundreds of heroes in training could hear her.  
"Listen to me, students! My name is Glynda Goodwitch some of you already know this. If you do then good that introduction was strictly for your peers. If you did not know my name now you do. I am the dean of Beacon I handle all discipline matters and student counseling it is a pleasure to meet you all."  
Glynda said taking a deep breath as all eyes turned to her.

"I will not lie to you, in less than a minute all of you will go to face your destiny. I will open several portals to your initiation. For your initiation, you must do one of two things. One. You will be teleported into a town that was recently overrun by Grimm. Make it to the town and back to where you were transported alive and you will be allowed to enter the school and start your journey as a true hunter."

"Two. Survive. If you do not make it to the town and can last until the test ends at duck I will personally come to collect you for your assignment in the school. Should you encounter any Grimm kill them as you can. Do not hesitate to fight back. No one will come to help you, just like in the field if you can not live you will die. There can be no one to save you but yourselves. I hope you have all said your goodbyes to your loved ones for some of you will not be coming home."

The dean said with a grim finality her sharp green eyes cutting into every student making all but the toughest look away, one of the tough ones to hold her infamous glare was the assassin with golden eyes who for some reason had steadily refused to take them off me. The woman was eyeing me like I was a piece of raw meat and had steadily refused to let me out of her sight.

I shuddered, I could feel the villain class' piercing gaze burning a hole in the back of my skull as she regarded me like a falcon regards a mouse.  
 _Maybe she is a friendly villain?_  
I thought as-  
"Now get ready your time has come."  
Glynda said as she waved her wand as several massive glowing portals opened up. Twirling silver pools the size of a house appeared with a rolling tempest of winds. The sheer magical power in there made even a non-magic user like myself tense as I felt the raw power flood out of them.  
"Step forward, none of you can escape. You are all standing on enchanted ground. Even if you run you will be pulled to a portal.'

"Who the hell is running?! I'm here to kick ass!"  
A tall blonde with the word _Brawler_ over her head yelled as several other heroes shouted their approval as Glynda sighed.  
"Very well, prepare yourselves, heroes, today your destiny is decided. Do or die students there can be no other options." Glynda said with a tired tone as the first students began to walk to the portal.  
"Here we go.' I said _Obscurus_ in hand, the twin handed sword felt good in my gloved hands the weapon felt firm and strong as I began to walk to the glowing silver portals. "Jaune if you see me on the other side I will look out for you."  
Weiss said her hands gripping her staff as she walked ahead of me towards her portal.  
"Thanks?"  
I asked as Ruby bobbed forward her massive chipped scythe that looked ready to break if you swung it too hard bobbing with her each step. "If you can find me Jaune let's team up!"  
Ruby chipped before blurring into a portal as the heroes vanished with a hiss! Of air, as the portal came alive almost it's surface becoming like quicksilver as it ate them.  
"For glory! And _pancakes!"_  
Nora yelled before grabbing Ren by his arm and sprinting forward into a portal.  
"I hope they make it."  
I said as I finally made my way to a portal taking a deep breath before stepping face first into the swirling grey tempest as a harsh breath left my lips as I went to face my fate.

/ / /

I felt cold as the portal consume me, it was an odd feeling to fell _nothing_. All I saw was black as I felt my body _stretch,_ I was somehow pulled in all directions at once by body _flattened_ as I felt like i was being forcibly _squeezed_ through an opening far to small for me as I let out a scream of anguish it was _torment_ but as soon as it began it was over, one moment I was in the courtyard the very next I was in the middle of a large forest with trees taller than my house and wider than a cart. "I guess this is the test?"  
I asked taking stock of the forest, surrounding me, I focused my ears using all of my limited Perception to pick up on the sounds and chirps of wild birds filled the air along with the faint blowing breeze that rustled the massive leaves of the trees.

"Ok! Make it to the town. You need to get back home your family is waiting for you." I said to myself, as I began to make my way through the forest, the forest that seemed almost alive to me. Every faint hiss of wind that tickled my cheeks and kissed my nose. Filling my nostrils with the scent of fresh pine cones made me gulp, as I gritted my mouth.

"So far so good... no Grimm and I'm walking steady, that would be good if I knew where I was going!"  
I shouted in irritation honestly! How the hell was I supposed to make it to the town if I don't know where it was!? Glynda never told me where it was only that I needed to make it there.  
"Great going Aunt G. The _one_ time I wanted you to be meticulous you do this..."  
I sighed gratefully now that for once nothing was trying to eat me. Glynda did say that the town was overrun by Grimm. So that meant that there was a distinct possibility that I would be attacked, and need to defend myself.

As I walked through the woods, I decided it would not do for me to have to draw my sword after a Grimm came. Soon in the interests of keeping my head attached to my shoulders, I decided to draw _Obscurus_ in preparation and make my way forward sword held out in front of me swatting away low hanging trees using his blade _Obscurus_ like a common chopper.  
"I bet whatever hero would have bought you would cry if the saw this huh?" I asked the blade _Obscurus_ the black metal not responding thankfully. I was already in a crap situation and I did not need to add crazy to my rapidly growing list of problems as-  
Crack!  
I spun faster than I thought possible. Memories of the last encounter with a Grimm fresh in my mind as I spun just in the nick of time. A Beowulf stood there, it's long canine jaw slathering, teeth longer than my forearm glistening with saliva as it snapped its jaws threateningly. Its massive legs each thicker than my own tensed with pure thick muscle that looked like taught steel and-

With a final snap! Of its jaws, the thing jumped jaws snatching as it growled.  
"Well come on then!"  
I yelled the monster's legs propelling it forward like an arrow the monster flung itself to me claws out ready to eviscerate the human that stood in defiance to it as I swung down my sword in a flailing arc.

Metal met flesh as the sound of tearing muscle and snapping bone filled the air. The monster cut itself in two. My sword cleaving it in half as it split itself apart in a shower of blood. I gritted my teeth the sheer force of the monster being sliced in two nearly bowling me over as twin grisly halves of the Grimm fell on both sides of me covering my leathers from chest to ankle with its boiling blood.  
 _"HAH!"_  
I said, gasping in exertion adrenaline flowing in my veins as I felt it! I leveled up! I saw my stat screen flash in front of my eyes as the monster the one monster pushed me up a full level!  
 _"I'm fourteen!"_  
I shouted in pure shock as I leveled up! This was amazing! I could already feel my stats rising as the one creature gave me more XP than over two dozen forge jobs and-  
"I'm invincible!"  
I yelled as I slew my first Grimm. The monster already dissipating into thin wispy strands of smoke. This wasn't so hard! How could heroes die to things like this!? I was an NPC until yesterday and now? Now I had gotten my first and hopefully not last Grimm kill, without taking a scratch!  
"Ok monsters come at me!"  
I yelled wiping the monster's blood on his pants as I walked into the forest two more Beowulf stalking out of the underbrush as I smiled.

/ / /

I was doing good.  
"HAH!"  
I yelled a feral grin on my lips, my sword splitting another Grimm in half. I slew the monster with a wild yell, my eyes alight with power at killing my third Grimm going up another level! I had leveled up more in the past ten minutes than I had done in the past two years!

The Grimm were so easy! They practically threw themselves at me like lambs to the slaughter! And I had gotten quite efficient at dispatching them. I learned the best way to kill them was to stand still. Let the Grimm leap and hold my sword at a right angle. Allow them to slice themselves in half across the blade and they would be cut in two!

"How can heroes get killed by these things? They are so easy!"I said killing another Grimm watching the monster fall to pieces on my side. A spattering of lien filled the ground! "I love this!" I said smiling ear to ear, not only was killing Grimm easy. The XP was already making me feel stronger!

Up until today, my seven stats were average for a Blacksmith, my highest stat was strength at 18. Though now it was at _24_!? Going up several levels! More so than it had done in two years! My other stats were also improved! My constitution, was at 19, a two-level increase, my dexterity was now at 11! More than a three-level increase, my perception was still low at 10, and my wisdom and intelligence had refused to budge with intelligence staying put at 11 and my wisdom sitting at a lowly 9. But! That was still more growth than I had ever experienced, plus I was also getting paid?!

Every Grimm had a drop the Beowulf Grimm all dropped lien when killed. All of them dropped at least twenty Lien and the larger ones could drop as much as fifty?! I had made more money in the last half hour than in all my years working as a Blacksmith as-

A roar filled the air that sent my blood cold. I froze still as death as the lake that I was passing began to ripple. Massive looming thuds, filled the air as the trees began to shake. I gulped as something massive began to come my way. As I felt the ground itself shake I found my legs began to quake as if made of jelly. My eyes shot out looking for the source of the tremors only seeing the forest and a broken clay building by the lake-  
A building! The town must be close!  
I thought as hope filled my mind as-

 _Red._ Twin red eyes the color of fresh blood and the size of my very skull looked down at me. The eyes full of hate and rage narrowed as I saw the monster.  
It was _massive_ , half the size of the trees larger than my house, with legs thicker than the trunks of the trees. The monster was so massive that it even had an **HP** bar over its head. Its massive canine snout was so large that it could swallow a horse with practiced ease. The massive canine maw opened up to reveal row after row of jaundiced teeth all the length of my body and wickedly curved as-  
 _"Alpha."_  
I whispered as a massive alpha Beowulf appeared out of the forest it's hateful red eyes glaring pure rage at me as-  
The thing jumped. Like a frog on a lilypad. It moved with a speed that for something its size should not even be possible! It leapt at me swiping a paw that was larger than my whole body striking me dead in the chest and sending me flying.

I didn't have time to react let alone time to cry out. One second I was standing firm the next I was launched into the air as a scream left my mouth.  
"GER!" I gasped as he felt I heard an ear-splitting crack! Fill the air as a sharp scream left my mouth as a literal tree trunk had been slammed into me. The monsters paw sent me sailing into the air like the shaft of an arrow. My vision spun into fantastic colors of green and brown before-  
 _THUD!_  
I cried out my body _snapping_ with the force of the impact. I slammed into a tree back first as a sickening crack filled the air. I gagged the breath knocked clean out of my lungs, my vision a blurry kaleidoscope of colors, and my breath catching in my chest, every pained gasp stung link hot needles into my lungs. My eyes watered and puffed up as I fought past the mind shattering pain and checked my hit points.

"10?!" I shouted before gasping in pain, the massive hit by the alpha Beowulf had set me down over seventy-five percent?! Forcing my aura into the red and making my vision dim. Another blow would send me to the edge and-

The ground began to shake. The massive foot beats of the alpha filled the air. The monster sprinted into my vision it's massive paws shaking the ground, it barreled down trees snapping them like they were twigs, it's massive feet carried with what was apparently nothing but pure momentum? _How is that possible? Does running really build up that much power?_  
I thought as-  
The thing roared again as it began to run dead at me, I gulped as the monster barrel down on me like a tidal wave as I let a final sigh leave me. I lived a good life, I had a kind and loving home and never once knew hunger or abuse. It was a better life than most and I thanked the light for every second of it.

As the massive thuds got closer I grit my teeth and raised his sword. Even if I was going to die I would be damned if I showed my back to this thing! If I died I was taking a piece of the monster with me!  
"Come on you big bastard! You want me, then come and get me!"  
I yelled as the monster ran to me jaw open ready to swallow me whole and-  
 _"I WILL FEAST ON YOUR HEART!"_  
A booming voice said as a figure shout out from above me as Nora!? The Barbarian from earlier appearing out of nowhere leaping into the air cackling like a mad woman before slamming her silver Warhammer down in a punishing arc, landing a clean blow right on its head making a sickening _snap!_

Of cracking bone fill the air as the monster slammed into the ground with the force of a comet. Making a massive tremor fill the air as I stumbled and almost fell over as it fell-  
"Are you ok?" The calm voice of the Monk Ren asked appearing by me his hands glowing a light pink as I groaned.  
"I'm alive."  
"Good, now if you can still fight let's try not to die ok?"  
"You don't have to tell me."  
I grunted as we wasted no time. I rushed the downed monster Obscurus raised high as I attacked it. The harsh sound of metal tearing flesh filled the air as I swung and chopped at the monster like a mad axeman.

My sword rising and falling in long desperate hacking motions, the blade slicing bones, and tendons with ease as Nora and I assaulted the downed creature. Out of thin air, the Monk Ren appeared twin small knives in his hands as he began to slice the heels of the monster preventing it from getting up to continue its assault on them.

Not that that stopped it, the Alpha Grimm was a monster for a reason. It reared up a massive roar filling the air that deafened me. I felt my ears sting as a loud sharp ringing filled them. I looked up to see both Ren and Nora tossed to the side as the thing stood up, its beady hate-filled eyes focused on me as it charged.

"Oh come on! I just got here!" I shouted as the monster charged me ready to swallow me whole-  
 _Fisht!_ A flash of silver filled my vision as a knife? Appeared flying into the monsters left eye stabbing into it blinding it. The Grimm veered to my left roaring in pain a long thin line of blood jetting out from its now closed eye before crashing down with a thunderclap of sound. I looked up as the Assassin from earlier appeared and vanished in a cloud of smoke.

" _ALI KORA!"_ The Barbarian yelled as Nora leaped up, slamming her hammer back into the down monster's side. As soon as she spoke I felt it. The pain left me in an instant as the white-hot agony vanished as fire filled my veins. My strength stat _jumped_ rising to 34 as I felt like I was on _fire._  
 _"ALI KORA!"_ I yelled my limbs moving on their own as-  
 _"Ali kora!"_ Nora yelled again the spell activating making me surge forward, my strength almost doubled as I drove my blade into the thing's skull!  
Blood spattered and bone cracked as I stabbed it! The monster howled, rearing back up as it raised a paw to crush me-  
THUD!  
The paw was blocked as a blur of red filled my vision as the _Champion_ from earlier appeared blocking the monsters attack with her shield. The girl appeared in front of me like a red wall acting as a living bulwark as she deflected the attack. "

Thanks!"  
I yelled as the redhead flashed me a winning smile. Emerald eyes boring into mine as she smirked at me. "It's payback from earlier! And my name is Pyrrha!"  
"Jaune Arc!"  
"I can tell! Now let's get going I think our friends need our help!" She said as the two of us rejoined the assault on the monster as it roared in defiance. Somehow me, Nora, Ren, and the Champion? From earlier now known as Pyrrha hacked and slashed the monster to death. Killing the monster in a final bloody display as I slashed out its ankles, Ren paralyzed its legs, Nora broke its knees, and Pyrrha gave the coup de grâce impaling it in the skull. Killing the monster and earning all of us a landslide of Lien and other loot to fall from its core as I gained three levels!?

Putting me up to seventeen as Nora whooped in victory pulling me close as she raised her hammer in triumph! The odd party that we made took out time pilfering the loot looking over the various items that dropped from the Grimm as we stuffed our pockets full of Lien and took every last valuable trinket from the Grimm to amplify our stats. Which for me was all of them, soon the Grimm was picked clean and-  
"We should still find the town. For old times sake."  
Ren said as our misfit party nodded and began to walk back I paused.  
"One second!"  
I yelled sprinting back to the disintegrating corpse looking over the dead body before finding my prize.  
 _"Aha!"_  
I said as I retrieved the long silver knife from the corpse. The weapon of the beautiful assassin was a high-end level two weapon and was still warm with Grimm blood. I wiped it off on my pants determined to give the weapon back to its owner as I caught up to my friends as we made our way to the town.

/ / /

"Jaune! You made it!"  
The sharp voice of the adorable reaper and potentially not mass murderer Ruby Rose, said as she blurred up to me. The small girl was strangely followed by Weiss of all people. Who I was sure hated Ruby to a greater or lesser degree. The Mage followed Ruby with an irritated roll of her crystal eyes.

"Ruby! _Down!_ Jaune does not want you to choke him to death!" Weiss barked like a guard dog that had just seen its owner accosted by a stranger as Ruby jumped off me liked I was on fire her head hung low like a dog that had just been scolded by its owner.

Weiss shook her head like a mother whose child never listened as she turned to me.  
"Jaune, it is a pleasure to see you again. I knew that you would survive and am pleased to see your safe return."

Weiss said curtseying as I saw her snow like dress was splattered with sprays of blood on its end suggesting that there was some type of close quarters fighting for the girl. The battle had been bloody not just for me who even after the battle my health was dangerously low. And my health would need some dedicated healing still I was still lucky. Looking around I saw that while the vast majority of students seemed to have made it back some did _not._

There were noticeable _gaps_ in the crowd of students, and many had bloody armor and looked worse for the wear. Most of the survivors looked tired and happy to be back, covered in blood and dirt. Some chatted in lose circles, others drifted alone and more simply seemed off.

The worst of them were the ones crying, the ones who were forced to come back. Their feet glowing blue as Aunt Glynda's tracking spell came into effect. They came back into the courtyard crying and screaming _begging_ not to be put back out there as their legs carried their protesting masters back into the group uncaring of their desperate pleas for mercy, I ignored them.

As Weiss bowed I failed to see the beautiful assassin from earlier, I needed to give her her knife back. I owed her my life, as I looked a large woman in yellow hair moved over to the group, bulldozing the heroes foolish enough or not fast enough to get out of her way as she winked at me.

"Whoa, there sis! You got yourself a man while I was gone?"  
The woman who was now a Brawler as her class read gave me a wink her lilac eyes locking onto me as her massive chest that caused my jaw to drop as her bosom caught my eyes.  
 _So big._  
I thought my eyes locking onto the ample chest of the brawler that fought to burst out of the tight leather top that she wore openly as-  
"Hey there Jaune! See something you like?"  
The Brawler teased as I flushed. I hated having my information public! One of the least decent things about being a Partisan was that not just my name hung over my head but my complete stats hung as while Weiss's head read Mage, and Ruby Reaper my head read,  
 _Partisan_. Followed by Name _: Jaune Arc. Health. 10/85. Strength 24. Charisma 7. Perception 11. Constitution 19. Dexterity 11. Intelligence 11. Wisdom 9. Lien. 267. MP. NA._ Hung under my name leaving me nothing in the way or privacy and making introductions moot.

"I! I didn't mean to!"  
"Yang quit teasing Jaune!" Ruby said pouting as the Brawler Yang laughed.

"Aw, sis I'm just playing with him! So mister Partisan, how about you take a look at my grieves later on and in return I let you take a look at something else a bit later? Something much _softer?"_ Yang asked as she flashed her breasts at me opening her brown duster that fought to keep her ample pale chest inside making me blush wildly at her.  
"I-  
"Xiao-Long! Don't tease him!"  
Weiss barked making Yang laugh raucously as-

 _"Students!_ For those hearing, these congratulations are in order! You have survived your first test! From this day on your quest to be a true hero has just begun!"

Glynda said her eyes locking on my own, her body letting go of a silent breath of air that she was clearly holding in as she let out a breath of relief.

"Take heart but do not rest. The first step is now complete but your lives as a hero have just begun, there will be trials and tribulations ahead of you that will make what you have just experienced pale in comparison. As you can see not all of you have returned, this is not something to look away from! Death will come for all of us, for hero's it is sooner than later, unfortunately. Know that even if you have avoided death today the face and claws of it will find you eventually and you will all face them one day but for now rest. You have _all_ earned it."

Glynda said as the surviving heroes all let out a massive cheer that shook the Beacon courtyard as those lucky enough to survive the initiation let out a cheer of relief that swept over the area like a current, so effective was the cheer even I joined them. I had survived today, despite all odds against me I had lived, and even gained over four levels! If I kept this up I would see my home again one day, I just knew it!

 _Don't worry mom, dad, Clem. I'm coming home._ I thought as the heroes cheered their victory as I let out a shout of camaraderie, as the Barbarian Nora locked my head in a powerful arm lock and rubbed the top making me wince. All the while Yang joked with Weiss who looked ready to cast a fireball at the Brawler while Ruby tired to keep the peace as Pyrrha panicked, unsure how to intervene as they bickered and argued I sighed as the first day of my hero life _ended._

* * *

 **AN: OK! There it goes! My attempt at making an homage to a great fic! I know it's not the original and I don't' _want_ it to be! This fic was inspired by Forged Destiny _and_ Darkest Dungeon. Two of my favorite entertainment mediums. While it does borrow the caste system from FD the story is _miles_ apart! I hope you liked this story and until next time! Have some stats.**

* * *

 ** _Name Jaune Arc._**

 ** _Level 17_**

 ** _Health. 10/85._**

 ** _Strength 24._**

 ** _Charisma 7._**

 ** _Perception 11._**

 ** _Constitution 19._**

 ** _Dexterity 11._**

 ** _Intelligence 11._**

 ** _Wisdom 9._**

 ** _Lien. 267._**

 ** _MP. NA._**

 ** _Skills_**

 ** _Stroke the flame: Creates heat from hand useful to forging metal. Warning. Only your hands are immune to said heat._**

 ** _Minor Runesmithing. Can create minor Runes for all stats._**

 ** _Appraisal._**

 ** _Can always know a weapons level on sight and can maintain and upgrade weapon levels._**

 ** _Passive. Death's Door._**

 ** _When health reaches Zero will activate a barrier to defend oneself that can block physical damage._**


	2. School days

**AN: Here we go! More Brave sir Robinson! If you liked the first part here is some more with background info! Enjoy!**

* * *

Sleep came surprisingly easy for me that night given my circumstances. One second I was waiting with my new _friends_ in Beacon the next I was ushered off and ended up in the common dorms. My eyes flickered open taking in the strange large masonry of the Beacon Academy public dorm. I still was not used to looking at the ceiling, I spent my entire life under one roof and waking up to a new one was not comforting to me, not in the slightest.

Nor was the noise… I was surrounded on all sides by other heroes in training. The dorms were split into two types, public and private. Public dorms were separated by gender and split up into two groups boys in the west girls the east. The male dorms were closest, all of us slept in small cot's barely able to fit a single man, and packed together like chickens in their coup. The sounds of dozens, upon dozens of males all snoring and doing other _activities_ in the dead of night filled my ear, making sleep almost impossible.

The noises of hundreds of sleeping males were overwhelming and that was not even mentioning the _smell._ I swore that most of the heroes in the room had never so much as heard of a hot bath! Not that I was one to talk. I was still sleeping in my bloodstained, dirt cake leathers from yesterday. I had no other pair of clothes, so I knew I was far from my best. My mother would tan my ear if she could smell me! I hope she's ok.

"Jaune?" The cool voice of Ren said, my fellow male and _tentative_ friend, sat up, his well-muscled chest on full display as he turned to me and smiled. His magenta eyes blinking off sleep as he yawned.

"Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine, you?"

"Good. Are you sure you are feeling well? When we took you to the healer yesterday she was surprised that you could even walk."

"I was not _that_ bad."

"You were about dead."

"I was fine."

"You had less than a quarter of your hit points. You were almost _dead."_ Ren said as I rolled my eyes.

"Fine! Fine! I was almost dead happy?"

"That you almost died? No, why would I be?"

"I was being sarcastic Ren."

"Oh, I'm not very good at sensing sarcasm, I'm sorry."

"I.. don't be ok? You are fine."

"Good, and don't go dying on me. Nora won't like it if _her_ Partisan dies without her permission."

" _Her_ Partisan?"

"Oh? You don't know? Nora has _claimed_ you. You are her Partisan now." The Monk said as I gulped as a wave of fear ran down my spine.

"What does that mean? What do you mean I am _her_ Partisan?"

"Oh, that means that she has _claimed_ you."

"What does that mean!?"

"Oh you will find out," Ren said with a thin smirk.

"Now get ready we have to go?"

"Go? Where?"

"To class, we are already running late…"

/ / /

"Hello! Welcome to your first day at Beacon Academy for Heroes! My name is Bartholomew Oobleck! And I will be your teacher for all of your non-combat related classes!"A tall thin man with a pair of bright green spiky air with the word Alchemist hovering over his head said as he smiled to us.

Oobleck, wore a long pale shirt along with brown pants and black shoes as he smiled at the class. I sat next to Ren at the far end of a row, the Monk and me came together, Ren claiming he was _protecting_ Nora's Partisan. That she would not like if any less than savory characters came too close to me.

I was still unsure what to think about being called _Nora's_ Partisan. I had no idea what that meant, and I was under no illusions that if it came to blows I was no match for Nora. I hoped she was only talking about me in a _friendly_ way as-

"Now! Let's start about the basics! Who can tell me what kingdom we live in? Yes! Miss Schnee!"

"We live in the kingdom of Vale." The Mage now dressed in a brand new set of shiny white clothes. Weiss was dressed in her best, her shiny silver hair done in a neat ponytail as she smiled to the teacher.

"We live in the kingdom of Vale. Ruled by the undisputed ruler Arch King Caluren the second."

"Excellent! Why that was a relatively easy question it was important! If you didn't know the name and ruler of your kingdom that you live in that would be cause for concern!" Oobleck said with an easy laugh as I grimaced.

" _Even I know that much."_ I thought as Oobleck smiled turning to the chalkboard behind him. Taking a long white piece of chalk as he began to scrawl on it.

"Now! Time for heroics one oh one! The class where you will learn all you need to know about being a hero! Starting with the most important aspects of all your stats!" Oobleck said as the class nodded, I looked around to see Ruby sitting next to Weiss. Dressed in a different red corset than yesterday, but with her trademarked cloak still hung over her neck like a cape.

She gave me a light smile as her sister winked at me. Showing off her cleavage making me blush.

"Now as you all know all of us be they, Hero or Peasants. Though the politically correct term is NPC! Have _stats."_  
I winced at the word _peasant._ I hated that word much like every other member of the labor caste as we prefer to be called. Or as a _former_ member of the caste that is.

"Now all stats start at zero and can go up! But did you all know that all stats are based on something called a _nat thirty?"_

 _What the hell is that?_

"A nat thirty is simple, any of the seven stats, Strength, Wisdom, Charisma, Intelligence, Dexterity, Constitution and Perception are given a number! The higher the number the better but! Did any of you know that if your stat is _below_ a score of thirty that it actually _hurts_ you?"  
 _What the hell? My stat's under thirty hurt me? But that's all of them!_

"Yes! I can see by your faces that you are thinking about this! While it is true that the bigger the number the better, stats will _only_ start to positively affect you once you get them beyond that of thirty! Until then they are acting as a _detractor_ to your overall health and well being!"

"Sir! How do stat's hurt us?"

"Ahh! Miss Rose! An excellent question! Let me explain! Your number on a stat determines its overall effectiveness. The higher the better, and the closer to thirty the _less_ negative effects they will have! While the lower a stat's number the overall effects are never to the point of no return! Low stats will not kill you!"

The man clarified as I stared at the teacher, with a burning intensity, if my stats were going to get me killed I needed to know how and why.

"Sir, what if all of your stats are lower than thirty?" Ruby asked her silver eyes locking on me, as she had apparently never heard of the word _tact._ Weiss made up for that by reading my mind and delivered a swift kick to the back of her ankles making her eep!

"Ouch!"  
"If all your stats are below thirty for some reason, then you need not fear! You might be disadvantaged but you are by no means dead meat! You can still get better by leveling up! Which is what we will discuss next!"

Oobleck said scrawling some notes on the board as he sighed.

"Now! As you all no doubt know your stats are directly tied to your health! The stronger your stats the longer you _might_ go until you become something's dinner. The only reliable way for you to increase your stats in a meaningful time is to level up! And to do that you need experience points or more commonly known as XP.'

"XP is gained through doing a number of things! From doing tasks to exploring areas there are a number of ways to gain XP! Although the most expedient way to gain is to fight! To battle, Grimm is one of the quickest ways to gain XP! The more XP you gain the more you level up! Now, who knows the quickest way to gain XP? Miss Schnee! Again!"

"By defeating Grimm sir."  
 _"Close!_ But no, the quickest way to gain experience is by _murder."_ Oobleck let the words hang in the air as the class froze. A heavy silence fell over the students as I gulped.

"Murder?"  
"Yes, Miss Rose, _murder._ The killing of your fellow hero classes or even Peasants! Is the _single_ quickest way to level up! Why killing other hero's grants you more experience than Grimm is unknown but by killing your fellow hero classes you _will_ level up fastest. And take note! _All_ of you will be killing others. Grimm are not the only danger to our lives, bandits, cutthroats rebels and more! All abound and as heroes, it is your job to protect the kingdoms _and_ the peasants no matter what." Oobleck finished with a bone-chilling stare at us as I felt a cold pair of hands grip my back.

"Now! We have gone over the basics let's talk about classes! As you all know we all have a class! It's the name above your head in case any of you missed that for the entirety of your lives." Oobleck added making a low chuckle reverberate in the class as he smirked.

" Be they Peasant, or Hero. How many classes _are_ there? Yes! Miss Schnee!"

"There are two _official_ classes but in reality, there are three."

"Yes! Miss Schnee, what is the third class?"

"The third class is the _Partisa_ n class, sir. They make up the final part of our caste system."

"Outstanding! As Miss Schnee has so eloquently put there are _three_ official classes in our caste system! Since you all know this system I will be brief in my summary. You are either a Peasant, or you are a _Hero._ There are two classes and they define your life. Peasant's make buildings, grow food, and provide infrastructure while heroes defend the borders from Grimm and the like!"

"Sir, I heard you could also be a soldier?"

"Ah, Miss Rose! The soldier class is a _privilege!_ Any hero who can survive for _ten_ years after graduating from an Academy can retire into the soldier class! There they no longer need to go out fighting Grimm and can safely rest in one of the kingdoms of _their_ choice and enjoy their lives."

"Unless there is a _war."_

 _That voice_ , my head whipped back as I saw _her._ The Assassin from yesterday, the one whose dagger I still had strapped to my pants sat in the far back of the class far removed from all other students as Oobleck smiled.

"Yes! Miss Belladonna is correct! Unless the _rare_ act of a war between the kingdoms happens the soldier class can live in peace. However, should war break out they are honor bound to battle for the country they have chosen to retire in."

"Now, who here knows about the _special_ place of a Partisan in our class? Yes! Miss Nikos!"

"Sir, the Partisan class makes up a strange part of our lives. They are a part of our society but they have no _place_ in our system."  
The champion with a melodic voice said smiling like an angel.

"Yes! Partisans have no place in our society!"

 _Well, that hurts._

"Partisans do not fit into our society! They are neither Hero nor Peasant! They are by default too weak to be heroes but are too valuable to leave to be Peasants! How do we make up for this? Miss Schnee!"

"We _encourage_ Partisans to come to hero academies in which they are made, to train with us and use their gifts accordingly," Weiss said with a perfect tone as Oobleck nodded.

"Yes. Partisan's all have _unique_ traits and abilities that can positively affect heroes! Imagine a _farmer_ turned into a Partisan, a _herbalist!_ They can grow food anywhere! Even on rocks! Imagine going on a mission and never having to run out of provisions? Or having all of your stats boosted for a mission! Partisans prove an invaluable service to the hero class!"

"Sir, if Partisans are so important why don't all Peasants become one?" Ruby asked as Oobleck sighed.

"We'll Miss Rose, that is the more… _unfortunate_ part of being a Partisan. You see until they are _discovered_ a Partisan is by all shapes and appearance just a Peasant. They look and act like one and there is only _one_ way to find out if one is a Partisan in hiding! Does anyone know how? Miss Schnee!"

"Simple. You _kill_ them."

I felt my heart still as Weiss answered the teacher. _Kill? Kill!? Did she say kill?! No way I'm hearing things! There is no way that heroes would ever kill Peasants! They are heroes for crying out loud!_

"That is correct!"

 _What?! They kill us?!_

"As you all know we as humans along with stats have aura! More commonly known as hit points! These are an overall statement of our health and vitality! If your hit points reach zero then you will die. No questions asked unless you are a _Partisan."_

"If a Partisan reaches zero health points or _aura._ They will trigger something called the _Death's door._ This is a rare! A skill that acts as a last-ditch defense! When triggered a loud dong, like that of a tolling bell is heard! The Peasant will be covered in a _barrier_ capable of deflecting even the most devastating blows! This ability cannot be overstated! It can turn away an ax to the neck and even a boulder! The Death's door is impossibly powerful!"

"So they can't be killed!? That's awesome!" Ruby shouted her voice dripping with excitement as Oobleck sighed.

"I wish it was so simple Miss Rose. The Death's door is not foolproof. While it _can_ deflect any form of damage it is not a guarantee that it will. At our best understanding on that, a Death's Door has a roughly _sixty_ percent chance of blocking an attack. It is not a sure thing."

"What happens if they don't block?"

"That Miss Rose is a matter of _much_ controversy. As we know aura is according to some the soul of someone. When a human _or_ faunus suffers damage their _body_ is damaged. Your physical form takes damage but your _soul!_ The thing that makes you human is left unharmed as it should. The soul is normally intangible, and when a Death's door is triggered, the soul the usually _intangible_ object becomes a _physical_ barrier. It acts as a last line of defense! Capable of repelling any attack! But if it is _broken?_ The soul and the Peasant are both… _lost."_

"Lost? Sir, what does that mean?"

"Mister _Arc!_ So glad you are participating! If you are unlucky enough for your Death's door to trigger and fail? Well… there is no other way to say that your soul is _forfeit."_

"What does that mean sir?"

"There is no way to accurately describe what a failed Death's door looks like. I have only seen it a scant few times and I do not wish to see it again. It is _horrible_. Now! Onto the brighter side of life! Dungeoning! Dungeons are dark and terrible places! Does anyone know what a dungeon is? Yes! Mister Ren!"

"A _dungeon_ is a building that spawns Grimm. They have the outward appearance of a castle but their inner appearance has several variants. No two being the same." The Monk said eyes closed as Oobleck smiled.

"Outstanding! All dungeons have a different type of environment insides! Can you tell us what those are?"

"Yes, a dungeon will come in one of four subtypes, called _The Ruins, Warrens, Woods_ and the _Cove_. Each subtype houses its own unique environments, hazards, loot and worse its own specific selection of Grimm that dwell within and will spawn from them and each of them has a varying level of difficulty attached to it. With the Ruins being the easiest and Cove the hardest. _Usually."_

"Excellent! As he said! All dungeons act as beacons, _ironically_ to the Grimm! The longer a dungeon is left unconquered the more numerous and more dangerous Grimm will spawn in an area! And the longer you leave a dungeon standing the stronger they will become! Is our job as heroes to stop these dungeons and save lives! Now onto our lesson…"

/ / /

"Wait up!" I said to no avail. The girl _Blake?_ Had already left class, disappearing as soon as she had appeared. Leaving without a word to me, her dagger still burning in the pocket of my leathers as the girl vanished. Oobleck ending his depressing lecture on life as a hero the first of many more to come had left me desperate to make new friends. I wanted to give Blake her knife back but she was out of the class before I could do anything! She vanished like a gohst moving so fast I couldn't even speak a word to her!

"Don't go after her Jaune. She's an _Assassin_. You want nothing to do with her trust me."

"Ah, Weiss! She might be friendly!" I offered as the Mage shook her head, her long beautiful silver her flowing as she gave Ruby a look like she was a petulant toddler, demanding extra food or trying to get back her favorite _toy._

"Ruby you are more likely to find a friendly _Grimm_ than a friendly assassin! Now come on, we have more classes to attend, Jaune will you be coming with us?"

"Sure Weiss, why not?" I asked as I lowered my head, I needed to say thank you to Blake one way or another. I would just need to wait a little longer to do so.

/ / /

"So Mister Arc, how is your first day at Beacon going? I am trusting you are finding Hero life to be accommodating?" Ozpin asked, the Warlock smiling peacefully signaling for me to sit down in front of him as I gulped.

"It's fine sir! Thank you." I said sitting down the office of the Warlock was now filled with bright sunshine as I winced.

"Jaune! Jaune! Calm down, do not fear me. I am your teacher! I am here to _help."_

"Help? How so?"

"Jaune I _exist_ for my students…"

Ozpin said smiling warmly as he beckoned me to sit down. I took the seat opposite from him as he snapped his hands. A tall pitcher of water appeared suddenly along with twin cups of water.  
 _Why can't I use magic?_

" A drink Mister Arc? I find that water often helps calm my nerves." The man asked as I nodded.

"Sure, thank you, sir."

"Good. Now as I am well aware you have several questions. Why you are here, what happened to your family, when _not_ if you will be allowed to see them again along with many others and I would like to take this time to alleviate some of your more _pressing_ concerns. That is why I called you here." The man finished pouring both of us a tall cup of water, pressing one over to me as I nodded my head in gratitude.

"Thanks, sir."

"Jaune you need only call me sir in front of others. While here in this office, let's drop the formal attitude hmm? I'll call you Jaune and you can call me Ozpin, or Oz whatever _you_ prefer."

"I… sir I don't know if I feel comfortable with that. You are a hero and my leader?"

"Leader? Why I never! Jaune you need to loosen up. I am not your leader, think of me as more of you… _instructor_. I tell you where you are needed and you will go there. I am more of a director. A coordinator if you will." The man said with a smile far to smug for his thin face plastered on his lips as I sighed.

"Ozpin. Why am I here? Besides helping heroes why am I here?"

"Simple. As I said before and if I did not let me say this again. I do not like lies Jaune. I will be honest with you at all times and I expect the same in return alright?"

"That sounds fair…"

"Good. Now I need you to level up Jaune. You are not only a Partisan but you are a _Blacksmith_ a rare one."

"Rare? What do you mean by that?"

"Jaune your class is by far one of if not _the_ most valued Partisan classes. You can be the difference between life and death for many heroes."

"I can?"

"Yes. Jaune your class has an ability called _Rune smithing_. You can apply magical wards called Runes to armor, weapons, and charms. These Runes improve stats on heroes."

"That sounds useful?"

"It is. Jaune despite what you think the hero class is not all powerful. We have weaknesses and strengths. Barbarian are often not the smartest of class and Mage's are often not the most _robust_. But! With you? You can make Runes to make a Barbarian as smart as a Mage. Or a Mage as tough as a Warrior. You can literally shore up the detriment of a class and reduce if not downright nullify the nat thirty on them. You are worth your _weight_ in gold ten times over."

The Warlocks words hit me like a blow from Nora's hammer Magnihild? _I_ had worth? I was important? I was a nobody, a simple Blacksmith in over my head but now?

"Sir what _do_ you want from me?"

"Simple. I want your passive."

"My passive?"

"Yes, mister Arc your passive. I want the Death's door for _all_ of my heroes."

"I don't understand sir."

"Simple you are level twenty-three, as you level up your Rune smithing ability will become stronger and stronger. When you reach level eighty-three, you gain the ability to forge a rune that can _transfer_ passives."

"Transfer passives?"

"Yes Jaune, you can give your passive to other heroes! Imagine it! All of the heroes with your ability!? The things they could do! I have seen the Death's door active! I have seen it repel axes, swords, even watched as it shattered _boulders!_ As if they are not but flakes of mud and dirt! If I could give that to _all_ my hero's imagine the good they could do."

"I… that makes sense."

"I am glad you see it my way. Now for you, I need you to level up quickly. Tell me have you given any thought to joining a guild?"

"I can't say that I have."

"Well, you might want to look into it. Beacon provides free food and common room but find allies. Make a _party_ , go to dungeons and level up. We need high-rank Partisans. And if you can level up fast enough, I will _personally_ give you a week to visit your family again."

"You will!?"

"I told you, Jaune I do not lie. If you can clean out one dungeon, go up five levels and! Do your annual quest, a quest that all first years must take I will let you visit your family for a week _after_ your first year in Beacon. And as usual, if you can manage to do more than what I asked I will be _generous_ with you. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes! I would love to!" I said my hand shooting out as Ozpin grinned, his perfectly white teeth no longer seemed so menacing and I didn't even notice that there still seemed to be more than usual.

"Good! I am glad we can agree on this. Now hurry along you have a long day of classes ahead of you. Don't be _late."_

/ / /

 _Five levels, five levels, one dungeon, and one quest! I can do that!_ I thought as I fought and lost the battle to smile. I was going to go home! I was going to see my family again! The smile broke my face as I left the headmasters office, all distrust towards Ozpin gone. I knew that Ozpin was on my side, I could _trust_ him.

As I walked the cool marble halls of Beacon replace the red carpets entering the first area of the pale Byzantine marble staircase that lead from the bottom of the school to its top as I began to descend down a flight of stairs I saw her the Assassin, Blake? Walking down a corridor alone. _This is it! I can give her, her dagger back!_ I thought as I smiled, clutching the dagger in my pocket as I began to move. I wasted no time rushing up to her. I called out twice but got no answer in return. She seemed lost in thought, her head down, her long flowing black hair reached far past her waist that hid a twin adorable pair of black cat ears poking up from her skull.

 _A faunus?_ I thought rushing up to her hoping to return the dagger in my pocket. I caught up to the girl who was still lost in thought reaching her side and putting my hand on her shoulder. "Hey!" In retrospect startling, an Assassin was not a good idea. The moment I touched Blake she spun around like a bolt of lightning and a first connected with my chest. A solid thud filled the air as I felt the air leave my lungs and my feet the ground as she punched me so hard I went _flying_ off the stairs.

/ / /

Pain. That was the first thing to enter my mind as I felt the girl's punch me in the chest. I gagged, the punch taking me off the floor and sent me flying. I want careening off the railway and _crashed_ into the stairs like a drunkard leaving a tavern. _Thunk! Thund! Slam!_ My world was turned into a rapidly spinning blur of colors and pain. I _thumped_ into the stairs crunching down on each one of them all as I felt my world explode. My head hit _every_ last one of the hard marble staircases on the way down as my body thunked and _clanged_ all the way down them.

I hit the base of the stairs with a heavy _thud!_ My mouth flying open as a sharp gasp left my mouth.

 _"Ow!"_ I shouted my vision blurring and ears ringing. I felt like I had well fallen down a flight of stairs, as-

"Oh come on!" I shouted looking at my aura and seeing that I was at a _quarter!?_ A quarter of my health was all that was left?! That girl's punch and the subsequent fall down the stairs had taken a full three-quarters of my health!?

"You have got to be joking!" I said, my eyes finally stabilizing the girl Blake gasping once, her hands flying to her face before she ran!? She ran away darting down the hallway as-

"Hey! You ok _bro?_ " A low heavy voice said as my head rolled to my left, my jaw barely fixing itself as I saw four young men in front of me. The first a tall boy with the word Warrior above his head. He was tall built like a brick house, covered in blue plate mail. He had a large mace on his waist and a worried look in his blue eyes.

'I, I think so?" I asked still not sure how I was conscious, I was over half dead! I needed-

"Dove! Sky! Help him up!" The boy who I believe to be the leader said as two others run forward. One with a spiky green mohawk and a long spear on his back. He was a Lancer the other a skinny boy with bronze skin and several daggers on his sides, a Rouge.

"You ok bro?"

"Did you see where she went?" The two boys asked helping me up to my feet, my ears still ringing as-

"Damn Assassins! They shouldn't even be let in the school!" The boy with the mase scowled as he shook his massive fists in anger.

"You ok bro? You look like you were kicked by a Beowulf." Sky asked as I rubbed my head.

"I'm fine-

"You are half dead man! You need to see the healer?" Dove asked a worried frown on his face as-

"Jaune, you need to tell someone about that. You can't let a Villian walk over you like that." The main one, the boy with the mace said shaking his head as-

"Boss has a point Jaune. Villians will walk all over you if you let them." The rouge said shaking his head as-

"To hell with this, I'm called the dean. Jaune do you need a healer?" The man asked as I shook my head. I was already half dead, but I would take myself to the infirmary. I could do that much.

"No, I'm fine, thanks."

"You are _not_ fine. You are almost dead."

"I'm not going to die yet, I hope. I just want to take myself to the healers ok?" I asked as the boy paused a frown split over his face before he sighed.  
"Are you sure? Me and the boys would _not_ mind helping you to the healers. If you want our help just say the word." The boy said a firm grimace on his lips as I shook my head.

"No, I'm fine, well I am not fine. I'm almost dead but if I don't get used to that I won't last long here. But thanks all the same, what is your name again?"  
"Winchester, but you can just call me Cardin ok?"

"Thanks, Cardin call me Jaune nice to meet you," I said as we shook hands as I smiled.

/ / /

"I really should have gone to the healer with him!" I moaned as I struggled outside, my damn pride had gotten the better of me and now I was limping. I had gotten myself all the way down the school, ignoring the awkward worried looks of the Hero, Villian and the rare Partisan as I made my way into the open Beacon courtyard, limping to the infirmary-

"Whoa there! You don't look so good _, friend!"_ A voice as smooth as water came to my ears as I felt my limbs go slack. I felt the pain that had been forced in me go away as I turned around. A man, not a boy stood in front of me. He was older than me, probably a fourth year, he was tall, with pale skin, orange hair like summer sunsets, a pair of eyes green like Pyrrha's that flickered with a predatory sheen and a white hat over his head with the word _Thief_ hanging proudly over him.

The man wore a _pure_ white suit, not unlike the one worn by the nobility, and he had a long white cane in his hands. The cane was as long as my forearm and glistened in the day's sun.

"Hey, there friend! You don't look so good! Rough day?" The man asked leaning forward using his cane as a stand as he smiled at me. Instantly my pain left me the misery a thing of the past as I smiled at him.

"N-no. I'm fine. I'm just a bit sore." I said shyly as the man smiled.

"I can see that! You looked like you fell down a flight of stairs after being kicked by a horse!"

 _Ironic._

"That more or less happened," I admitted as-

"Well, we can't have that! The name's Roman, Roman Torchwick and you are?" Roman asked as a smile spread across my face. He knew my name everyone knew my name that saw me. It hung high over my head but he still had the grace to ask for it? I liked Roman.

"Jaune Arc, nice to meet you," I said holding out my hand as he shook it.

"Nice to see you to Jaune! Now how about I get you out of this Sun? You are looking a little _wane_ there friend…"

/ / /

 _"Neo!_ Pour our friend a drink! He's had a long day and he could use something cold and refreshing!" Roman said leaning back in his deep crimson chair, his body stretching back as I heard a giggle from behind me.

To my left was the woman Neo. She was a _Traveler_ a class that I had never heard of before and I guessed was a Hero but one that was rare. She was shorter than me by a foot. But I didn't let that fool me for a second, even with my limited perception I knew she was deadly. Her every move was like flowing water. Her body moved in such perfect balance that it seemed to spit in the face of physics, slinking and sliding her way to my side in a dancer's grace.

She had a large glass pitcher filled with the cleanest looking water in her hand placing it along with twin glasses down her multi-colored eyes blinking at me in curiosity as she surpassed a small giggled as she poured us our drinks.

"Thanks, Neo you are a doll!"

"Thank you, Neo," I said as the woman laughed a small silent thing as she waved at me. Her mouth opening and closing several times as no words escaped.

"Can she talk?"

"What her? Nah, she's a _Traveler_ kid. Travelers can't talk, something about their class. They can't articulate a single word, not that she would _ever_ say thanks!"

Roman said giving a playful smile to Neo who suppressed a giggle as she batted her eyes at her boss? Whatever relationship Roman had with Neo was unclear, it was obviously a personal one just by looking at the way the two interacted. Moving around and acting as if the other was a part of themselves and not a separate being was just the first sign of their bond.

"Now Jaune! Now that I have your attention and I got you out of the hot sun, you are welcome for that by the way."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it! We are all friends here after all! Isn't that right Neo?" The man asked as Neo nodded her beautiful mesmerizing eyes that pulled me into them blinked rapidly as she placed a hand on my shoulder. The diminutive woman squeezed my shoulder in a supportive gesture making me smile even if I could hear my bones crack.

"Now that you are out of any immediate danger how about me and you have a talk!"

"A talk? About what?"

"Simple Jaune, I'm a simple man with simple wants! I want to stay alive, keep Neo alive and have enough money to get a small Island in Mistral and live off the rest of my days on a beach! Now to get that money I have devised a clever and industrious way of processing!"

"I don't know if I like the sound of that, what do you do?"

"Simple. I'm a salesman."

"You sell things?"

"I sell everything!" Roman said his eyes flickering with what I could only describe as hunger.

"What do you want me for?"

"Simple I want to talk business."

"Business? With me? Why?"

"Why? Why do I want to conduct business with one of the most important people in all of Beacon if not all of Remnant!? Jaune I am shocked! And if I am, to be honest, a little offended that you think so little of my entrepreneuring attitude." Roman said a genuine frown on his face as I panicked. Not wanting to offend one of my potential first friends that seemed to genuinely care for my well being.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"It's ok! Jaune I don't get offended that easily! Now onto our business talks, you have a skill a very, very, very useful skill that can make both of us a whole lot of money."

"I do?"

"Yes, Jaune you do. You have a skill called Rune Smithing and it is one of in not perhaps the most valuable skills in all of Remnant." Roman said licking his lips as I felt a chill run down my spine. Rune Smithing. The skill that I did not want to look at. I knew it was there, I knew from the moment that Ursa took me down to zero that I had it. I knew it was there in the corner of my vision but I refused to look at it. It reminded me of a life that was ahead of me, a life that I did not want. And more importantly, it was a grim reminder of the life behind me one that was _lost._

"I do have that skill but how can it help you make money?" I asked genuinely confused at how my skill could make anyone money as Roman flashed me a predatory smile. One that spoke of greed and opportunity, he looked less like a man more of a snake about to attack a field mouse from the grass.

"Jaune you just got through your first day of class, so I'm assuming your teacher taught you about the nat thirty?" Roman asked his eyes shining in a way that suggested he already knew the answer and was eagerly awaiting like the snake would the mouse.

"Yes, I learned about that why?"

"Why? Simple, you see in Remnant there are stats. I'm sure you learned this but let me give you a refresher just for fun." The man said putting two of his finger covered in an immaculate white gloved that probably cost more than anything my family ever owned. He put his fingers together smiling before pulling them apart. Fisht! The sound of flickering fire filled the air as a low red line appeared in thin air.

 _"Magic!?"_

"Something like that. But not as fancy or complicated." Roman said pulling his fingers to the side as the glowing red line spread.

"There are seven stats in this words. _Strength, Charisma, Constitution, Dexterity, Wisdom, Perception_ and _Intelligence._ Together these seven stats make up the person and character of a man." Roman said as the glowing red lines switched and formed, twisting into the words, _Strength, Charisma, Dexterity, Wisdom, Perception_ and _Intelligence._ The words forming in flickering red letters in mid-air as Roman moved his fingers down.

"Together they make up something called the _nat thirty._ The base level of stats that you need to not be held down by any of them." Roman said as his fingers twirled as a seven-handed clock appeared in mid-air. The thing glowed a bright red and had each of the seven stats listed instead of the time with seven long ornate clock hands pointing to each one.

"What they don't tell you is that out of all of these stats only _some_ are guaranteed to change. When you level up every class even an NPC has stat preferences. We call them _preferred stats_. There are three main stats that are higher than all your others. These stats have priority levels and will always level up before the others. For you, it is _Strength, Constitution,_ then _Dexterity."_

Roman said as sure enough, my three main stat were _Strength, Constitution_ , and _Dexterity._ Sitting at _, 24, 19_ and _11._ Though Dexterity shared that spot with Perception and Intelligence. Not impressive.

"Now what you don't know or have not been told is that you also have non favored stats. Just like there are three that will always get levels there are three that will get much… less." Roman said a slight grimace in his head as three of the long ornate clock hands pointing to Strength, Constitution and Dexterity up top, we mirrored by three other hands pointing down.

"Your other stats for what we call _unfavorable._ These three stats will get almost no attention when you level up starting in order of few to almost none. For you that looks like Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. And like all stats you have your _null stat."_ Roman added as the last hand fell from the clock and pointed straight _down_.

"My null stat?"

"Your stat that will almost never level up. And will most likely stay far below the nat thirty for the rest of your life. Your null stat looks like Charisma which is not a great one to be null. Although for you… finding out what your favored stats are might be bit problematic. You got two almost decent stats than the next three are all at eleven…"

"Does, that mean I have more than three unfavored?" I asked a slight edge of fear in my voice as Roman shook his head.

"No, way or I don't think so. Everyone has a few low ones. You just need to level up and we can find out what your preferred stats are, learn what your unfavored ones are and see what your null one is. Then we can work around that.'

"We? What are we going to be doing?" The snake struck.

"We are going to level you!" The man said his face bursting into a wild wicked grin as I shuddered.

"You are going to level me?"

"Damn straight! Look at it like this. You are born a class in this world, you are for the _most_ part stuck in the constraints that the class puts on you. Think of it like this you can be the best! Damned Barbarian there is, but what if you need to pass an intelligence cheek? What if someone uses magic against you and you die? What if you are a level sixty mage who can melt armies with a flick of his wrist but takes one hit to the chest from some punk Rough with more guts than brains and drops you with a rusty knife like a sack of brick cause his Constitution is in the low teens?"

"I..."

"Does any of that seem fair?"

"No, not really why?"

"It's not! And we me and you can change that!"

"How?'

"Your skill _Rune Smithing._ You can make runes that can increase the stats of a class just by having them on! You can give a Mage the Constitution of a Warrior! The damage resistance of a Paladin! You can make a Warrior as savvy as the most well-read Mage! You can break the nat thirty! The thing that holds us back can become a thing of the past!"

"And I can fix this?"

"You can but you need to level up!"

"And how are you going to do that?"

"We are going to send you into dungeons!"

"Dungeons!?"

"Dungeons! Jaune that is how you get loot! Money, items trinkets! All things to make your life easier! The more dungeons you go the more you level up! And I can help you find the most ideal dungeons!"

"And how will you do that?"

"Simple. I am a Thief, but I steal _information._ I can find weak dungeons cakewalks! Really. You get a few heroes together you make a party your raid them? You level up. _They_ level up. You get paid _I_ take a reasonable finders fee? Everyone is happy, and you level up! Which is the main point I need you to get up there."

"Because?"

"You see right now your Rune Smithing skill is not shit. You can make low ranked minor Runes that can add plus one to a skill maybe! Plus three if you are lucky. And unless you want to walk around with a metric fuck ton of Runes not counting Rune limits on armor you need to level up. The higher your level the more efficient your Runes are and the less of them you need."

"Ok. I see that, but why do I want to do this with you? And what about my skill makes us money?"

"Simple. We _sell_ them."

"We sell them?"

"Sure do! We sell your Runes to heroes! You make the Runes, I sell the Runes we all make a _hefty_ profit! What do you say?"

"You want me to sell my Runes?"

"To heroes! You make some Runes, I slap them on some weapons and armor and bam! Profit!" Roman said emerald eyes shimmering already counting the Lien.

"How much?" I asked instinctually going into business mode. I was no Merchant but I was or I was a former member of the Labor Caste I knew how to bargain.

"Your Rune's at this level is worth about one gold piece a pop. So we will sell them for _three."_

"Sixty percent profit?"

"You know it!"

"How do we split the take?"

"Seventy-thirty! _My_ favor of course."

"What?! That's highway robbery! I'm doing all the work I want the majority of the cut!"

"What!? I'm distributing for you here! I need to make a profit too!"

"You don't have the skills! I have the Runes! I can do this on my own, sure I might not sell as much but I would get all the profit!"

"Hmm. Ok, what 's your counter?"

"Sixty-forty. _My_ favor." I said crossing my arms as Roman groaned.

"Fucking kids! Fine! Sixty-forty! Your favor! Deal?"

"Deal," I said as I and Roman shook hands as he sighed.

"Kids! Now that we are all buddy, buddy, you have any questions? I am not a teacher and am much more liberal in my answers." Roman said smiling smoothly his sword flowing over me like water as I nodded. I did have question and Roman might just be the one to answer them.

"Everyone seems obsessed with stats. What do they really do? How much is good? I know thirty is when I even out but what is a good stat?" I asked as Roman grinned.

"A good question! But one that is not so easily answered."

"And why is that?"

"Simple. The thing about stats is besides more is better we don't know much about them. We know more is better than fewer, big numbers are better than small ones but as to their direct correlation? Well we know or I know that by looking at you constitution times _four_ equals your overall hit points. So that's a hard number. Besides that? It's a real guessing game. We know very little of what stats really level out as. We know more hit points is good but we don't know how much damage an attack will do to them so planning on how much damage we can take is difficult. We also usually don't know how much hit points our enemies have unless it is a Partisan or a boss Grimm making planning attacks equally difficult."

"We also don't even want to _start!_ Taking in armor and damage reduction into the mix! It's a complicated game and not one we fully understand yet. Sure more strength makes you swing a sword harder but we don't know the exact bonus you get. Only you want more."

"Why not armor reduction?"

"Kid think of this. We know to get hurt hurts. We don't know _exactly_ how much. Since only a _hero_ can know what exact damage thier weapon will do, it makes calculating our defense a bit problematic. We know head injuries hurt the most _usually_. And putting metal or leather in your case over your skin helps! Prevent damage to an extent but how much armor really helps us is unknown all armor being different and all weapons not being equal makes a mess of your math. And since there is so much that goes into hit points that we don't know much of anything about it really! So most stats are a _mystery_ more or less."

"So there is no such thing as an _ideal_ stat? Like a number that is _perfect_ for any class to have?"

"Not that I am aware of. More is good less is _bad._ Anything _under_ thirty hurts, and until you breach thirty that stat is holding you down."

"But all of my stats are under thirty!"

"And _all_ of them are holding you back! That is why we are leveling you!"

"So do stats ever _end?"_

"In theory? _No_. They can go on forever. However! Your leveling will inevitably end. Every level takes around twenty percent more XP to level up from the one before it. And you get less and _less_ XP from killing the same things over and over again."

"So that means you would just need to fight more and stronger and varied enemies?"

"More or less yes."

"So you _can_ level forever?"

"Yes. While you can! In theory level forever you will eventually hit a wall that will make your plateau in your leveling."

"That makes sense. I guess."

"Good! Any more questions?"

"Yes, Ozpin told me the survival rates for heroes."

"Oh? He did, not good huh? Nasty business our lot." Roman said grimacing locking both hand together the red floating clock vanish in a hiss of fire.

"Is that true? Do a thousand students get ground down to barely over a hundred?"

"Jaune, you are my business partner so I won't lie to you. But no Ozpin did not tell you the whole truth."

"So It's better?"

"No. It's much, worse. While it is true that a thousand unfortunate souls are ground down to around one hundred and eleven in four years time, the actual casualty rates are much, much worse."

"How bad?" I asked a small tremor of fear beginning in my foot and traveling up my leg like a curse.

"Well, every three months. A thousand heroes come to Beacon. And since our school is based on a quarter system."

"That's four thousand a year?"

"Exactly. Every year roughly year four thousand new students come to Beacon. And by the end of the fourth year?"

"Only four hundred or so of the original thousand remain," I said a wave of fear crashing over me as Roman nodded.

"That is right. Each graduation sends around four hundred grizzled battle-hardened heroes out into the world to fight and die for the common people."

"But that's so much loss! How do they defend the world?"

"Simple, Jaune remember that they are not alone. There are _four_ hunter academies in total. With similar enrollment and casualty rates means that every year around six some thousand heroes tossed out into the world. Since the schools go on quarters graduation happen four times a year."

"So over six thousand come out alive each year?"

"More or less. But out of all of those eighty percent die in the field, most before they are thirty."

"What!? Why, how?!"

"Simple. _Grimm."_ Roman said leaning back in his chair putting his hands behind his head as I gagged.

 _Eighty percent!? That's too high! There has to be a mistake!_

"How bad can Grimm be!? I've killed some! Sure they were tough but I beat them and I'm an NPC!"

"You no offense Jaune, you fought and _barely_ beat low-level Grimm. Grimm that spawned in the wilds, not from dungeons."

"Dungeons? The things that spawn them?"

"Jaune do you know what a dungeon is?" Roman asked a curious look in his emerald eyes as I nodded.

"They spawn Grimm, right?"

"Right! But you are missing the horror of one."

"Horror?"

"Jaune. One dungeon is not that bad. It pops up somewhere random. Spawns some Beowulf Grimm. They raid a town kill some NPC's some heroes come they raid the dungeon kill the boss and bam! All is good right?"

"That sounds good?"

"It is but let me ask you a question. You know how dungeon if left alone, produces larger and more powerful and just _more_ Grimm?"

"I do, why?"

"Well, what happens if a dungeon pops up in the ass end on nowhere? A place where no hero or human is around? Well, what happens then?"

"I… I don't know. I guess nothing happens to it?"

 _"Exactly!_ It stays where it is and spawns Grimm that got nothing to kill and for a while, it's not so bad, they piss around for a decade or two but! For every second it is allowed to stand it gets _stronger._ The Gimm it spawns becomes larger, tougher and more varied more rare and powerful and much more deadly. And over time the dungeon becomes a _festering_ wound of monsters so horrible and terrifying they make that fucking Alpha you fought look like a wounded puppy missing two eyes and half its legs.'

"You know I killed the Alpha?"

"I know you had _help,_ killing it. You had back up and almost died! Now think of it like this. One of the things you don't know or have not been told yet is that the more a dungeon is left alive the more likely other dungeons are likely to spawn."

"The _more_ likely?"

"Yes. The longer a dungeon stands, the more likely more dungeons are to spawn around it. A dungeon spawning in the middle of the desert is not that bad. But over the years? It gets bigger, stronger and the Grimm around it more deadly. Then even more dungeons appear around it, they spawn more and more Grimm and-

"It spreads," I said my mouth dropping a feeling of horror in my heart like a clawed hand from a Beowulf was gripping and squeezing it.

"Yes. One becomes two, two four four eight. So on and so forth. The longer they are allowed to live the worse they become. And if you let it go on long enough?"

"There could be a whole _continent_ of Grimm!"

"There is, it's called the _Grimlands."_

"That exists!?"

"Where do you think the Grimm come from? There is a literal continent full of nothing but the darkest spiraled dungeons spitting out wave after wave of nightmarish monstrosities that would make Ozpin himself scream like a baby."

"But! How do we fight that!? How are we beating back the Grimm!?"

"Beating them? Kid, we are not beating the Grimm. We are _enduring_ them. We are not winning this war, we are barely surviving it." Roman said his voice like shards of ice, piercing my heart as if felt my skin break into a cold sweat.

"But! But how!? How do we hold back a tidal wave of Grimm!?"

"Simple. We throw an equally large tidal wave of heroes at them. You think we have high casualty rates for no reason? Kid the only! Way we survive is to throw a wave of bodies at the tide. If we don't toss heroes into them like meat to the grinder? We would be overrun in a year. We need strong heroes, with the best equipment and strong _Partisans_ make strong _heroes._ You are one of the strongest Partisans ever and we need you. The people need. You. Jaune you can save lives. You can break the nat thirty you can be a real hero!" Roman said emerald eyes piercing my very soul.

"I! I want to help."

"Good. And we can do that. You need to level up. Get stronger. Make better Runes and you might! Make it out of this hell hole alive and if you're lucky you might be able to take a few of your friends with you." Roman said winking at me as I gripped my fists into tight balls as I nodded, a grim look on my lips.

"I… I understand."

"Good. Now that you know that you know why Grimm are so fucking hard to kill. Dungeons are like plants, rotted twisted _trees,_ and like trees they send out roots. We can cull the growth take the branches and chop the spurts, but to stop the threat we would need to burn the forest."

"And we don't have the power?"

"We don't have the numbers. We can keep the Grim back. Nothing more nothing less. Anything else? That get's a bit messy."

"But what about the heroes! Can't they attack them? If we know where all the Grimm are why not blockade them? Quarantine the area!"

"Simple. The Grimmlands while deadly are _not_ the biggest threat to Remnant."

"They aren't?"

"Not even close! The biggest threat to us is the _trap_ dungeons."

"Trap dungeons?"

"Jaune do you know the conditions required for a dungeon to spawn?"

"No."

"Good! Neither do the heroes! Well, so far what we know is that they _tend!_ To spawn close enough to human life to cause problems but far enough away to avoid instant detection. After some time some dungeons are destroyed and others become _locked."_

"Locked?"

"Blocked by terrain. Imagine a dungeon spawning in the middle of a mountain pass. There is snow all around it and with limited space? The Grimm don't go anywhere. They are blocked in and stuck or _trapped_."

"Just like the name."

"And! To make things worse these dungeons can be _trapped_ for months, years decades. And by the time they are discovered, they can have miniature armies! Of Grimm around them and all it takes is an avalanche, an earthquake or some other disaster to uncover a trap dungeon in a previously _safe_ area and cause a whole flood fo chaos."

"So there can be Dungeons anywhere?"

"There _are_ dungeons everywhere. Jaune there are _trap_ dungeons all over Remnant. Some in places we know some in places we don't and if they burst out all at once? Well, Grimm are attracted to negativity the more the worse for us, better for those bastards. Eventually, all that negativity will _draw_ the Grimm from the _core_ of the Grimmlands here."

"Like a torch?"

"like moths to the flame. We always keep a good amount of heroes held back from the Grimmlands just to deal with that shit. Hell, why do you think we even have a soldier class? You think any nation is _stupid_ enough to risk war when they might bring death to thier door?"

"So how do we find trap dungeons?"

"We get _lucky._ That's why we have you all do quests. Heroe's scout all over the damn place doing this or that, killing rescuing as needed. They find the trap dungeons, that go undetected be they in the woods, deep in the mountains hell sometimes even underground!"

"There can be dungeons underground!?"

"Sure can, subterranean Grimm exist for a reason Jaune, if there is a large enough _cavern_ form them to spawn into place? Dungeons only need height and area to spawn comfortably we think. They go into themselves infinitely but some basic room is needed."

"And then we find and kill them?"

"If we are lucky they are _hopefully_ destroyed before things get out of hand and the populace sleeps safely not knowing that they all might be butchered in the sleep. Now, anything else you need to know?"

"I… can you contact my family for me?" I asked as Roman sharp eyes froze becoming soft as he nodded.

"I can. I'm guessing you did not have a good separation? You had a Ranger take you right? Summer?"

"That's her," I said as Roman let out a sigh, rubbing and hand on his head taking off his hat, exposing his bright head of fuzz.

"I'm guessing that your family did _not_ take kindly to their only son being taken?"

"No… no, they did _not."_

"Did they resist?" My first balled as tears formed in my eyes as I felt my tongue tied in knots.

"They did." I barely hissed out my eyes already leaking as memories of that day flooded my mind.

"Did... did they get _physical?"_ Roman asked his voice lower than a whisper. His eyes locked onto mine as I felt my pulse _boil_.

"Yes." My voice hissed, my rage frothed and boiled, I felt a volcano bubbling in my throat as Roman frowned.

"Did they attack?"

"My mom tried to get her _off_ me." Roman and Neo both winced a pained look in their eyes as Roman shook his head.

"I'm guessing Summer did not take kindly to their resistance."

"No. No, she did _not."_

"It did not end well for your family did it?"

"No, it didn't." My voice was harsh and brittle, it was wounded weak and flailing, hot tears flowed freely down my face as memories of fire, death my mother's blood in the air fill my mind. My legs flailing as Summer casually tossed me over her shoulder like I was nothing her first bloodied, my little sister, screaming over the prone crismon body of my mother who lied still as death on the grass...

"I'm sorry about that. I truly am. Heroes can forget NPCs are people too. I'm sorry."

"It's ok… I… I just hope she is ok." I croaked as I felt Neos' hand grip my shoulder reassuringly, the mismatched eyed woman gave me a comforting smile as Roman bowed his head.

"Do me this solid and I'll make sure your family knows you are ok. We are partners and we take care of each other ok?"

"That… that sounds good."

"Excellent! Now if you need anything else, food, money or a place to stay. I have several! Houses up for rent if you even find a guild and are interested in a place to stay. I know just how _awful_ the common house and I can provide several alternatives for a _reasonable_ price."

"I… I don't know yet."

"All good! Now Neo please take our friend and escort out, make sure he's all right he looks ready to faint."

/ / /

After my talk with Roman. Neo took me outside. The mute Traveler escorted me to the top of the winding staircase leading to the outside and bid me goodbye. As I was pushed out of the twin massive metal doors that went deep underground into the Beacon earth. Roman's headquarters was buried deep underground and I was honestly glad to be outside in the hot sun as-

 _"YOU!_ " A powerful feminine voice yelled out from behind me as I flinched. I spun around were two figures stood in front of me. One a woman, taller than me with brown eyes and hair. She wore a strange hat that hung lopsided off her head and was dressed in thick brown leather hides. That looked surprisingly stylish? Like she had made her armor out of some kind of fashion sense as well as practicality. She was an _Arbalest._

A clear second year. Next to her was a literal mountain of a man. A massive Warrior with thick green armor and a massive claymore level three? Both of their weapons a bow and arrow and a Claymore were level three. And a high level three at that. Both weapons were almost halfway to four and-

"You should run little _Peasant."_ The mountain of a man grumbled his voice the sound of breaking rocks as a thin smile spread on his lips as-

"You!" The woman yelled a larch cocky smile spreading on her face as she licked her lips.

"Me?!"

"You!" The Arbalest yelled a wicked grin on her lips as she stalked up to me. She crossed the distance to me in a matter of seconds, her deep chocolate eyes looking down on me like I was a piece of jerky. The woman only stopped her advance when she was face to face or face to chest. She _towered_ over me by at least a foot and put my face right into the zone of her already ample chest.

 _Is it something in the water!? What happened to the beautiful women in my village!?_

"My name is _Coco Adel!_ Second-year student and the leader of the _Death Jesters!_ The best Arbalest in Beacon and the most beautiful woman in this city! The big guy is Yats!"  
"A pleasure." The mountain grumbled as-

"And you! You are our new _guildmate."_

"What?! What does-

"You should run little peasant." The man warned letting out another thin smile as a lone eye opened showing a dark iris as Coco grinned.

"Congratulations Jaune! From this day onward you belong to _me!"_

* * *

 **AN: OK! The next chapter of Brave Sir Robinson is done! The new chapter is out and the story is bumping! Hope to see you all again soon! And until next time? _God's mistake_ is up next! Check it out!**

* * *

 **Stats**

 ** _Name Jaune Arc._**

 ** _Level 17_**

 ** _Health. 21/85._**

 ** _Strength 24._**

 ** _Charisma 7._**

 ** _Perception 11._**

 ** _Constitution 19._**

 ** _Dexterity 11._**

 ** _Intelligence 11._**

 ** _Wisdom 9._**

 ** _Lien. 267._**

 ** _MP. NA._**

 ** _Skills_**

 ** _Stroke the flame: Creates heat from hand useful to forging metal. Warning. Only your hands are immune to said heat._**

 ** _Minor Runesmithing. Can create minor Runes for all stats._**

 ** _Appraisal._**

 ** _Can always know a weapons level on sight and can maintain and upgrade weapon levels._**

 ** _Passive. Death's Door._**

 ** _When health reaches Zero will activate a barrier to defend oneself that can block physical damage._**


	3. Terms and conditions

**AN: Well! Here we go! Another chapter of Brave Sir Robinson! In this one, we see much more of the back story to this world! We learn about Weiss's backstory and what she is doing in Beacon! We also see how Glynda acts to Jaune and we get a different look at Summer who I know you all _adore_. Then a bit of character development and bang! A bit of a surprise at the end so until then? _Enjoy..._**

* * *

"You belong to _me!"_ The voice of the Archer rang in my ears as I froze. My limbs went frozen as I felt my breath rise and freeze in my chest.

"Belong to _you?"_ I asked as the brown-eyed beauty dressed in an oddly fashionable garb of brown and slight orange as she licked her teeth, her perfect white teeth shone in the sunlight and seemed to _glitter._

"That's what I said Jaune! You belong to _me!_ Coco Adel! Please to meet you and welcome to the Mercenary guild!" Coco said slamming a hand down on my shoulder with such force that I _felt_ my bones creak as I literally lost one point of health putting me down to 20/85. The Archer's playful slap was more than enough to _injure_ me as I grimaced.

"I don't even know you!" I said wincing as the woman let out a loud laugh that sounded like an entire tavern of drunk laborers. Her short brown hair whisked back as her also ample chest brushed into my face.

"Know me? Kid, how can you _not_ know me? I'm Coco Adel! The best damned second year in all of Beacon! The big guy is Yats, he's cool but he's nowhere near me!" Coco said as Yats sighed the warrior sighing as he smiled cooly.

"Coco, don't scare the boy, he's probably scared of you."  
"Scared of me?! Why would he be scared of me?"  
"Because you hit him so hard you literally took some of his health with a _pat._ "  
"Ah to hell with that! The kid's going to spend the next four years of his life with me so he better learn how to grow a spine!" Coco said gripping my shoulder as I began to panic.

 _Four years? Four years!? Why would I be with her for four years?!_

"Um, Coco?" I asked not sure how I should interact with the hero as she turned her rich honey brown eyes to me.  
"Yes, Jaune? Or should I say the newest member of the Mercenaries Guild and my very own _personal_ Blacksmith?"

"I! Why am I joining the Mercenary guild? I didn't even know it existed?"  
"Why are you joining? Simple! Jaune I have an amazing! Once in a lifetime offer for you, that I know you are going to _love!"_ Coco said, her smile so wide it threatened to break her _perfect_ porcelain-like face.

"Um and that choice is?"

 _She said I was going to love it, so maybe it won't be so bad? Yeah! Hero's are supposed to be brave and noble! Just because I have not seen any of that in the ones I know, well besides Roman that is that, doesn't mean there are not any good ones!"_

I smiled willing to and hoping for the best, even if I could feel Coco grip and crush my shoulder as if it was made of clay and not bone, muscle, and sinew.

"Oh boy, you really had to ask her about that choice now didn't you?" The Warrior Yats? Asked his voice still sounded like the crunching of gravel low and rough like very syllable hurt him to pronounce and was being forced out of his mouth.

"Well, Jaune! Since you asked me so nicely! And since you're going to be my _personal_ Blacksmith for the next four years you! You also get the great honor of being my _slave!"_

"What?!" I asked my eyes widening to the size of saucers as Coco smirked.

"You heard me Jaune! You get to be the _slave_ of the Mercenary guild and you also got the great! Personal honor and _privilege_ of being the _personal_ Blacksmith of me! Coco Adel! You can thank me later." Coco said bowing to me as I felt a wave of fear rise in my gut. Swirling up from my intestines and forcing its way up into my mouth making my tongue go drier than the Vacuo sands and making me gag.  
"What?! Your slave!?"

"You heard me Jaune! You get the great honor of my personal slave for the next four years, I said you could say you're welcome you know? You don't want to sound ungrateful, do you?" Coco asked her eyes narrowing as a small frown split her face.

"I!"  
"Coco you scared him," Yats said a small smirk on his face as he shook his head.

"Look at the poor thing, he can barely stand."  
"Scared him? OH! I get it! He's so shocked he can't get over it! I know how you must feel Jaune! It's not every day that the great Coco Adel tells you that you can be her slave now is it?"  
"I don't want to be your slave!" I said trying and failing miserably to get out of Coco's grip as she blinked owlishly as she looked at me like I was speaking another language, not that it was possible. There was only one language spoken in Remnant, the one true tongue, and instead, she gave me the look of an animal that had heard human speech for the first time and was cocking its head in an effort to understand.

"You… you don't want to be my slave?" Coco asked like I had just rejected free gold and not a life of forced servitude.

"Of course not! Why would-"

"AH! I get it! Jaune! Jaune! I'm sorry! I said that wrong!" Coco said her face breaking into another wide smile as I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

 _Thank Oum, she's just misinterpreting things, she doesn't want me to be her slave_.

"Oh, I see the problem! You think I'm asking you for your _consent!"_ The bucket of ice water fell on me as I felt my legs quake.

"Um yes? Haha... You _are_ asking me for my consent right? I mean-

"Jaune let me make our relationship very clear to you. I am a hero, a _very_ important one. You are the promoted NPC that is going to spend the next four years making not only for my guild but for me, armor. Do I make myself clear _Arc?"_ Coco hissed any gentleness her voice might have once had was gone, vanishing in an instant as she leaned in. Her face getting within scant inches of my own as she pressed down on my shoulder making another large crack! Fill the air as my health dropped another two points dropping to 18.

"It's not so bad Jaune, you get the protection of the guild and you can make some money while you are at it. You just have to do what Coco says for four years if you are _lucky."_ Yats said chiming into the conversation in an attempt to get Coco to calm down and not cause permanent damage to me. My bones had already cracked twice and I was feeling small stabs of pain lanced down into my right shoulder as Coco sighed.

"Jaune. Look I know that you might be new here and so you are clearly! Not thinking straight or you would jump at the opportunity to be a guild slave!" Coco said with all the confidence of someone who could not smell the shit on their hands.

" _Be your slave?! Be your slave?! Why the fuck would I want to be your slave!"_

"Because being my slave will save your life." Coco read my mind making my eyes widened as she gave me a slight smirk.

"Look Jaune you look like a man who's about to die. You got less than quarter health and you haven't even been in combat today! Look the basic _hero_ will not live long what hope do you a glorified Peasant have at making it?"  
"I…"  
"You don't get it. Look you need help and I can give that to you. As our slave, you will have many _privileges_ that most Peasants can only dream of!"

"Privileges? Like what?"  
"Well, for one you get to spend all day next to _me_ so your welcome."  
"Coco."

"Oh come on Yats! I see his eyes! He's been staring at my chest since I showed up!"  
"I have not!"  
"Kid my Perception is over twenty levels higher than yours, _trust_ me I saw you. Not that I'm mad! Hell, it means you got _good taste!"_

Coco said winking at me my face held down my cheeks redder than Ruby's cloak as she smiled warmly at me.

"Now! If you join me as my slave, besides! Having the privilege of being my personal Blacksmith you will have all the bonuses and privileges that my guild will give you!"  
"And those are?"  
"Well! Since you asked, being a slave of our guild makes you _our_ property! And in case you are blind which you are not, despite what that abysmal Perception score says I take exquisite care of my property! You will live in the lap! Of luxury, you will have the best clothes, the best sleeping quarters and you will eat _nothing_ but the finest meals that can be afforded three times a day at a minimal!" Coco added holding up three gloved fingers a small chain made of shimmering gold was on the palm of her brown gloved as she grinned.

"Plus! A haul of all the loot! You will be under the guard of the entire guild! Including being under my _personal_ care. And let me tell you Jaune, you make me some good runes? Keep me and my boys and girls alive? And well let's just say I can be very _appreciative_ to a man with his uses."

Coco said her free hand sliding down my chest going over by dirt caked blood stained leathers and getting far too close to my crotch as my face heated up and I leaped or tried to leap back. Coco's grip was like iron and it forced me in place as her hand her _long_ slender fingers crept closer to my groin as she licked her lips.

"I know that you might be a bit scared, but come on. Three meals a day of the finest ingredients, the most luxurious of places to stay and all you gotta do is give up your freedom to get it! Come on Jaune pick the _smart_ choice! Become my property!" Coco said as I felt dizzy. Her words were like sweet honey to me, like sweet buttermilk and nectary. Tangy and alluring my brain screamed at me. I knew it was her charisma I knew she was taking advantage of me I knew it!

She was lying or she was not telling me the whole truth, a slave! A _slave!_ She wanted me to be her slave! I knew how crazy slave contracts got! I had been around a few in my life but I never wanted to be a slave! Especially to a hero I never met before and-

"Come on Jaune, just say _yes,"_ Coco said her honey like words washing over me, I felt my will failing as Coco gave me the _smuggest_ smirk like she had just caught a fish hook, line, and sinker. Her self confident, infuriating smirk lit a fire in my chest.

 _To hell with her! I don't care if I am a Peasant! I am no one's slave-_

 _Maybe it won't be so bad?_ I thought my will trying and failing to overcome her own as I-

"Enough! Let go of _my_ Peasant this instant!" Just like that whatever _spell_ Coco had cast, as it had to be some type of spell, was broken in an instant. Reality came crashing back down to me as I gagged.

"Who the hell are you?" Coco almost snarled as I turned around to see-

"Weiss?!" Weiss stood in the back of the courtyard glaring death at Coco. Her crystal blue eyes meeting Coco's piercing glare bit by bit as she stomped forward. Her immaculate white boots stomping on the ground as her heels struck the cobblestone.

"Let go of _my_ Peasant!" Weiss said again anger clear in her face as Coco paused.

"Your Peasant? Since when the hell did he become your Peasant!?"

"Since he signed the paperwork to join my guild as our _exclusive_ Blacksmith!" Weiss said crossing her arms over her chest as I gagged.

 _Her guild? When did I ever say I was joining hers?! I never said that!_

"Since when did he say that?!"

"He promised me on his _word!_ That he would join me in my adventures as my! Blacksmith so unless you want me to get _Glynda_ down here to pry you off him, let him go now!" Weiss snarled as Coco looked to Yats who looked irritated before sighing.

"Our hands are tied.

"Fuck! Jaune you her slave?"  
"He's not my slave he is our Blacksmith!"  
"Same deal! You her's blondie?"  
"Yes?!"

"Fuck me! We were too late! Goddammit! How much are you charging for his work?"  
"Charge? We don't _sell_ our own talent, Coco."

"Why the fuck not?! I'll pay! Good lien too!"  
"The answer is _no_ , Coco. He belongs to us, back off!"

"Dammit! Fucking hell, you ever grow a brain or want a taste of the _good_ life you know where to find me!"  
"You did not tell him where our guild is."  
"Oh? Did I forget? Fuck me, just ask around for the Mercenary guild you can't miss us! Well until you learn what's good for you!" Coco said leaving me alone, dropping me as she and her friend? Lackey? minion? walked away leaving me and Weiss alone as I gulped.

"Weiss?"  
"Are you ok?" Weiss asked her mask of anger falling as a look of concern passed over her face a hand latched on _gently_ to my shoulder as she winced.

"You are hurt what happened? Did Coco do this to you?"  
"No… I fell down a flight of stairs."  
"You what?! How?"

"You remember the Assassin from earlier?"

"Blake?"  
"Yeah her! Well she saved my life in initiation and she left her dagger with me kind of, and well I wanted to give it back to her. She left it in the field and I went to give it back. I found her in the hallways but when I went to give it to her she punched me down a flight of stairs."  
"She what?!"

"It was an accident!"  
"I don't care! She almost killed you!" Weiss shouted her wand a level two weapon, a high level two I noted, hovered over me as she cast a minor sheet of ice on my arm. The cool ice felt amazing as I felt my body relax.

"Jaune you have to be more careful! You can't just walk around freely! You never know who you'll run into! Not every hero is a good person!"

"I… I can see that."  
"Good! Now about what the hell happened here."  
"What did you mean by _your_ Peasant?"  
"Ah… I just said that to get them off you. While I do want, no, I _need_ you Jaune. I need your help." Weiss said her voice taking a low _weak_ tone. No tone of the earlier confidence that I had come to associate with her demeanor in it. She seemed small shy and vulnerable, almost _brittle_. She looked like she could break at a moments notice.

"Jaune we need to talk."

/ / /

Weiss had pulled me away from the center of the courtyard and to a more private stone bench under a large oak. The tree gave us both a healthy amount of shade from the _oppressive_ sun.  
"So you wanted to talk to me?" I asked still not sure what the Mage wanted from me. She had just saved my life from a four-year contract of forced servitude so I had no idea what she could want from me.

 _Four years if you were lucky, remember that. He said four if you are lucky._ I thought as I gulped

"Jaune… do you remember what I said to you when we first met?"  
"That you were Weiss Schnee of Atlas?"

"I am Weiss Schnee _formerly_ of Atlas as in I am no longer a part of the nation," Weiss said, her voice low and weak, her hands gripped the edges of her silver teal dress balled up into tight fists as I froze.

" _Former?_ What happened to you?"

"I… Jaune may I tell you a story? It is of my past."  
"Of course, tell me what you're comfortable with."

"Thank you, in case you didn't know I am from Atlas, it is a nation far in the north carved out of the glacial-like tundra of a country formerly known as Mantle."  
"I've never heard of Mantle before."  
"I am not surprised it is of no importance though. When I lived in Atlas I was a member of a very important family, almost royalty."  
"Almost royalty? How is that? You are not noble?"  
"I am a Mage, in Atlas, the nation is run by magic, it is king," Weiss said a faint notion of anger in her tone as she ground her teeth.

"Ok… how does this make you be formerly of Atlas?"  
"Let me explain, my mother was a powerful Mage. Of the most powerful ever. And she married my father who was…"

"Who was?"

"He was a Peasant," Weiss said a rare easy smile on her face as she grinned.

"A Peasant?"  
"Yes. On a mission to a town, she was ambushed by Grimm and nearly fatally wounded. My father saved her life and nursed her back to health. She was so grateful to him that she offered her hand in marriage and he accepted. Soon my older sibling was born along with me than my younger brother."

"That seems nice."  
"It was until they were all killed," Weiss said I froze my breath caught in my lungs for the second time that day as I gagged.

"They what?"

"Killed in their sleep, my younger brother and father were killed by an Assassin while they slept. I only survived thanks to my uncle Ironwood saving my life on a return trip from a mission."  
"And your mother? Was she killed as well?"  
"In front of my eyes," Weiss said her eyes taking on a glassy look as she looked far past me even while glaring right into my eyes.

"I'm so sorry."  
"Thank you but I am not finished yet."  
"Go on."  
"Thank you. The Assassin killed her while Ironwood saved me from death. He needed to neutralize the poison in my veins that the killer's blade had infused me with. While he saved me the man killed my mother and fled into the night."  
"Did they ever catch him?"  
"Sadly no… after that I along with my surviving sibling Winter were adopted by Ironwood and we have lived with him ever since or we did for a _time."_

"What happened? And if you are from Atlas why, Vale? Why come here?"  
"That is the more… _disturbing_ part of my tale. Jaune you are a Blacksmith you were an NPC not too long ago. Tell me what did you think of the Hero class?"  
"I thought of them as brave guardians who safeguarded us against Grimm why?"  
"Good… is it safe to say that you looked up them admired them maybe?"  
"Yes, why?"  
"So you would trust a hero if they were to ask you to do them a _favor?"_ Weiss's first trembled her hand balled up so tightly I thought they would break. A tremor filled her body starting at her legs and working its way to the tip of her thing shoulders making her shake as if she was being vibrated by some invisible fist.

"I would trust them."  
"I see… Jaune in Atlas I met a Peasant like you, a Partisan a Blacksmit turned hero. He was a kind boy but a trusting one. Much younger than you."  
"He sounds like a good person what was his name?"  
"He didn't have one."  
"Why?"  
"In Atlas, most Peasants are not given names. They are assigned a number at birth and given a designation in this case he was Partisan _Thirteen."  
They don't even have names!?_

"Why don't they have names?"  
"Atlas is a Mage run country they look down on other Heroes Jaune to them Peasants are _barely_ humans and it's easier to track numbers than names in a census." I wanted to vomit, how could they not look at them as humans!? How do you just make humans numbers?

"I see, and how does this get you banned?"  
"Well Peasant's are not treated well in Atlas by any means Partisans are worth their weight in gold and double that for a Blacksmith. Do you know of the nat thirty?"  
"I was recently told."  
"Good that saves us some time. As you know Mage's are powerful with magic but we often fail in our Constitution and Strength. I'll have you know that I am barely stronger than you right now and I have been _training_ all my life. We are slaves to our weak stats and our null one. Your class can break us out of that so Partisans are treated almost like royalty."  
"I see? That's good?"  
"Not for Thirteen. Jaune what do you know of your special skill Rune Smithing?"

"That I can craft runes."  
"Did you know that you can craft runes _above_ your level?"  
"Above?"

"Yes. There are detailed logs of all the unique and bizarre runes a Partisan can craft. Not all Blacksmiths learn all Runes some even discover new ones in their lives! One such one is the rune of _resurrection."_

"Resurrection?"  
"Yes, there is a rune that _you_ can make that can bring back the dead. It can pull the dead back into the realm of the living! But it requires a high-level Mage and a level Sixty-three Blacksmith to do _safely_."  
"What was his level? Thirteen."  
"Thirteen."  
"I meant his name, not his level."  
"I just said it _Thirteen._ Why do you think his name was Thirteen?"

"You named him after his level!?"

"What else would we call him?" The Mage asked like I had just asked her what color the sky was and not why a basic human dignity was taken away from a boy.  
"I… go on."

"I asked him to help me with our ritual and he accepted the sweet boy that he _was._ "  
"Was?"  
"If you do not know, while any Blacksmith _can_ make a rune above their level it is not without its fair share of risks. The more advanced the rune the more dangerous the _feedback_ from an under-leveled Blacksmith attempting it can be."  
"He was level thirteen…" I said my voice leaving my lungs as I felt the weight of Weiss's actions as Weiss nodded.

"And he should have been sixty-three. When he did his part of the spell it did not go well…"  
"What happened?"  
"We did the ritual in private away from prying eyes as instructed, I followed the guidelines to the _letter._ I gathered all the ingredients but when he forged the rune on the altar it was too much for his body to take."  
"Too much?"  
"The power of the run broke him and he was _consumed."_ Weiss shuddered like a gust of frig air had washed over her as I gulped.

"He died?"  
"He _vanished_ into a swirling ball of back and red that exploded out and took me from conscious. When I awoke I was in Ironwood's quarters and…"  
"And?"  
"Jaune Hero's have a duty to protect Peasants. It is in our treaty that we save their lives at all cost not kill them. Jaune I am a _murderer_. I killed Thirteen and as such, I should have been sentenced to death and hung."

"You don't look that dead to me," I said trying to make a joke and succeding as Weiss let a small smile creep up on her face.

"Humor is a good skill. No Ironwood is _very_ influential in Atlas. It is because of him that I am alive today."  
"What did he do?"  
"He _banished_ me from Atlas. Made me renounce my family name and any titles that I had or would get. I lost all privileges in Atlas and I had _several_ restrictions placed on me and am banned from coming home. Should I step one _foot_ onto Atlesian permafrost I will be hung the moment I am discovered. I have been kicked out of my home and I may never return. I will never see my sister again, the last remaining family I have left in this world is barred from visiting me as well." Weiss's first balled even tighter as the first tears began to form on her cheeks.

"Weiss, I am _so_ sorry."  
"Don't be. I was young, I was stupid I got an innocent boy killed! I don't' deserve your sympathy nor do I want it. What I _need_ is your help."

"My help?"  
"Jaune I… I can't do this anymore… I need a Blacksmith to make me the rune of resurrection but there are none of high enough level. Most stop leveling at around forty to live out their lives in whatever guild they are attached to. And none want to risk getting to level sixty-three."  
"By why me? There must be others out there."  
"Word travels fast, most Partisans know me by name and face. They won't even look in my direction. That is why I was so shocked when you did not run away screaming when we first met. Jaune I _need_ your help that is why I have an _offer_ for you."

"An offer? Like what?" I asked as Weiss took a deep breath and stood up. Her confidence back in full her weak demeanor that did not fit her evaporating like water on a pan as she took a deep breath and let it out.

"Jaune I need _you_. I need you to level up and get to sixty-three. I have the rune symbols memorized and copied down, it never leaves my person. Please, will you get to level sixty-three and bring back my family?"

"I! You want me to do this?"  
"No, I _need_ you to do this. No other Partisan will help me and I… I am not like most like other heroes."  
"How?"  
"Coco wanted to use you, sure you would be comfy but you'd be _kept,_ a slave, a pet for her to use and abuse, for me it is not that simple. Part of my banishment was a _show no fear_ clause."

"Show no fear?"

"If I embark on a mission, as atonement for killing an NPC if _any_ NPC dies while under my care and there is a _reasonable_ chance that I could have saved them I will be hung by Vale's government as soon as possible."  
"They will kill you!?"

"It's part of my punishment it does not matter how the NPC dies if there is a _reasonable_ argument that can be made that I could have saved them even if it cost me my life I will be hung for it."

"That's unfair!"

"It may be but it is not airtight. Jaune there is something called a _handlers_ contract. It is a lesser version of a slave one."  
"Lesser? How so?"  
"If you sign it with me, you will become _my_ Partisan. I will be personally responsible for your well being. If you die _I_ die. But I will _only_ be responsible for you."  
"If that is so simple-"

"No other Partisan will give me the time of day Jaune. You are the _only_ one to listen to me, to hear me out."

"What will you do if I become yours?"  
"Besides protect you from harm? Be it Grimm, humans or opportunist heroes like Coco? I come to you with something others will not."  
"And that is?"  
" _Respect._ Jaune I _will_ use you for my own goals, of this have no doubt. You are a tool for me to achieve my own ambitions and while you may benefit from it this is a purely selfish desire of mine. That being said! I will not treat you as a tool. I do not want a tool at my side I want a _man._ I come to you not as a Hero to a peasant but as _equals_. Take my deal, become mine and I will _personally_ see you level up to be protected and live a long and happy life even at the cost of my own. Jaune I am desperate. I need you, will you _save_ my family?" I never had time to think.

"Of course. Weiss, as an Arc I give you my word. Keep your end of the deal treat me with respect and I _promise_ you I will save your family or die in the attempts." I said taking a hand she extended and shaking it. A bright smile spread across the Mage's face as she wiped away a tear.

" _Thank you."_

 _/ / /_

The day could have gone better.

"Jaune… are you sure about this?" The irritated and _beyond_ skeptical voice of my aunt asked as I nodded my head.

"Yes, I am Aunt Glynda. I want to be Weiss's Partisan." I said the Mage sat next to me in the small Beacon office that Aunt Glynda apparently did her day to day activity in. It was small with purple carpets, drapes and wall coloring. She had a simple wooden desk, many bookshelves, and ornate items scattered throughout her office. My aunt looked ready to reach out and bash my head as her green eyes twisted in irritation.

"Jaune… do you know of Miss Schnee's reputation?" Glynda asked as Weiss balked looking down as I nodded.

"Yes, I do aunt. She caused the death of a Partisan in Atlas."  
"Then why are you letting her claim you!?"

"Because I believe I can help her no scratch that I _know_ I can help," I said my eyes locked onto my aunt's as she narrowed her glare at me. The resident Witch of Ansel was not known for backing down from a challenge let alone from the boy she spent two years changing his diapers and checking for Beowulf's in his drawers. The latter bit is something I wish she kept to herself.

"Jaune do you know what this deal entails?"  
"I do."

"I somehow doubt that very much!" Glyda hissed her natural authoritative tone shooting out of her mouth as I felt a wave of force hit me. She was clearly using her Charisma on me to some extent and-

 _Strong._ I thought as I felt stronger? I didn't feel like I was being overpowered, it was like her Charisma was failing? _What the?_ I thought as I looked to my right Weiss was moving her fingers and her lips were moving in a quick motion as she mothed quickly?

 _Is she casting a spell?_ That had to be it she was making me resistant to Charisma!

"Aunt Glynda. I know what I am signing up for, and I want to do it."

"You have no idea what you are doing!"

"I know full well."  
"I _forbid_ you from doing it!" Glynda shouted as I felt a minor tidal wave of pressure crash into me as her eyes began to lighten up.

"I understand but you will not forbid me, aunt." Glynda looked like she had been shot with an arrow. Her mouth fell open as her eyes widened in shock.  
"W-what did you just say?"

"I said that I know the risks, and I am willing to do this task. Weiss is my _partner_ , I am willing to take a risk for her."  
"Jaune she has killed before!"  
"I know that she told me everything."  
"And you still want to help her!?"

"I need to, I can bring the dead back to life! Aunt Glynda can you think of what that can do!?"

"Jaune you are being a fool!" She shouted as I winced, I noticed Weiss's lips moving even after her fingers dancing in her lap as she put in extra effort into her spell.

"I know the risks, I _want_ to do this."

"I… fine! I'll tell your family I did my best but you were too foolish to listen!" Glynda shouted reaching under her desk and procuring a large piece of parchment.

"Now Jaune! Since you are so inclined to have an early death! Read the contract and sign at the bottom line and you can jump into your grave! Oh, what will I tell our family!?"

"That I am helping a friend, something that my mother would not let me back in our house if she knew I did not," I said taking the paper looking down at the scribbles and-

"Um… Aunt Glynda?"

"Yes, Jaune? What is my suicidal nephew think of now? What could you possibly need to know that-

"Can you read this for me?" I asked as I came to remember an important fact. _I can't read._

/ / /

Like all Partisans, I had trouble reading _Script._ Official documents like contracts and other things made by scribes were not written in the common tongue. They were written in _Script_. Script was a special type of wording only used for official documents and government contracts you needed a minimum of 15 intelligence to read them mine was 11 as such I had no idea what the hell I was looking at.

"I! Weiss Schnee _formerly_ of Atlas will take the full responsibility of Jaune Arc of Ansel. I hereby take full responsibility for his physical and mental well being.' Weiss said reading the contract out loud so I could actually sign it legally.

"As such! I will be personally responsible for you. I will make sure you have a safe place to sleep at night, that you have three meals a day. I will make sure your safety is my _sole_ priority even at the cost of my own. While I draw breath I will be your shield against all dangers be they Grimm, Humans or anything else." Weiss took a break her crystal eyes locking onto mine as I nodded.

"Go on."  
"Ok. And you as my Partisan will be my partner. You will help me in my goals of leveling up with the sole intent of gaining enough levels to safely! Cast a resurrection rune, a rune I will in no way shape or form allow you to do. And neither through action or inaction allow you to even attempt! An attempt on it before you are at least the minimal level."

"I agree to that," Weiss visibly sighed as she took another breath.

"You will also _aggressively_ level up. Higher levels not only help ensure your survival but mine as well. You will level up as quickly as possible. When I go into a dungeon you will be by my side. When I am on a quest and you are not injured, on another quest, or in some way physically forced to be apart from me you will be on the quest at the front lines with me to further increase your leveling."

"I also accept that."

"Good. For the purposes of safe leveling, I will also be forming a guild. I will gather like-minded Heroes that I and you agree on and we will go out together for quests. While you will make _me_ the priority in weapon runes I will humbly request that you upgrade, strengthen, and maintain the weapons of our guild after you upgrade, maintain, and improve your own weapons. You will live in the guild quarters unless significant! Force makes it otherwise, you will do all of this without complaint or hesitation. Do you accept?"  
"I do."  
"Excellent! Miss GoodWitch. This Partisan has been read the contract in as clear words as I can say. You have at no time interrupted me or said that I have misled him in doing so you are agreeing that I have laid out the terms in a fair and impartial manner. Will you now officiate the contract signature?" Weiss asked as Glynda ground her teeth so hard I thought they might break. As she gripped her wand a level three and a _high_ level three at that. As the wand bent I swore she was going to _snap_ it!

"I see no fault in your explanation of the contract clauses. Jaune Arc has made an informed decision that no matter how! Much I severely disagree with and wish he would reconsider I can not force him to. I will allow this deal to take place." Glynda seethed as Weiss nodded.

"Ok. I will sign my name." Weiss said taking a quill from the desk dipping it in a bowl of ink as she scribbled down her name.

"Jaune?" I took the quill using my limited Script as I signed my name. _Jaune Arc._ In bright red ink as Weiss nodded.

"Our contract is complete. I have several promising guildmates in mind I think that you will find them all attractive." Weiss said with a small smile that I found enslaving.

"Weiss I know you want to go hunt for a guild hall but would you mind if I had some time with my nephew? I have not seen him in some time and I would like to have a private conversation with him if you don't mind?"  
"Of course not you must be very worried about him. Jaune I will see you later. I will find you to discuss our potential guildmates."  
"Ok, I'll see you," I said as Weiss nodded standing up bowing before walking out of the office leaving me and Glynda alone as-

"Jaune"! I was nearly yanked across the desk. My aunt pulled me _over_ her desk with one arm, pulling me into her grip and smashing my face into her chest. I felt my cheeks smothered by her ample chest as I soon found my oxygen supply cut off in a way that I was oddly ok with.

"Oh my Oum! You are alive! I was so worried!" Glynda wrapped me in a bone-breaking hug I literally felt my hit points dropping. The combination of my cracking spin and my utter lack of air was starting to take its toll on me. I saw dots of black in my vision as my limbs began to go limp.

 _Well, there are worse ways to die._ I thought as smothered in the chest of one of the most beautiful women on Remnant was _not_ a bad way to go. In fact, I felt that dying in her breasts would be infinitely preferable to being ripped apart and eaten-

"I was so worried!" I receive a pardon, from my breasts death as I sighed, Glynda yanked me from her chest pulling me to her neck. Her arms wrapped around me and she was trembling.

"Aunt Glynda." I wheezed as the dean shook.

"I was so worried! When I saw you in the office I thought I was seeing things! You! A Partisan!? Oum has a sick sense of humor! When you went to initiation I spent the entire time in here crying. I spent hours writing letters to your family tearing them up apologizing for your death! And you lived!"  
"I know-

"You got out of initiation and then you tossed it all away! Jaune that is Weiss Schnee!"  
"And?"  
"She killed a Partisan!"  
"She told me. She wanted to bring back her family."

"And!? She might kill you! She is obsessed with bringing her dead family back Jaune! She will use you for that extent!"  
"I know that. She told me as such."  
"And you still said yes!?"

"I did. She was honest with me. She told me what she wanted and what she expected from me. I have no reasons to not listen to her. She unlike Coco was fair."  
"Coco? You _met_ her!?"

"I did, it was not the best meeting she wanted me to be her slave."  
"And you said no!?" I was hearing things.

"Of course I said no!"  
"Jaune! You fool! The mercenary guild is one of the most powerful in all of Beacon! If you signed up with them you would be safe! You would have a small army of skilled Hero's at you back! You would have been almost guaranteed survival!"

"But I would have been a slave!"  
"So what!? You can't be abused even as a slave! And have you seen Coco!? She would take care of you like you would be her prized possession! Which you undoubtedly would be! You would have lived in the lap of luxury and be safe from all harm!? How could you say no to that?!"

"She was going to force me!"  
"She was going to save you!"  
"I'm not a slave!"

"Why are you so stubborn!?"

"I don't like being owned!"

"And you let Weiss do it instead!? You picked the murderer! The one who does not even have a guild to her name!"  
"We will build our own guild!"  
"From what!? Jaune you had a trained professional guild ready to back you! You could have had the best of the best!"

"I picked freedom! How is that so bad?!"  
"I! You are just like your father! Oh, I don't even want to know how he will deal with this news! First his wife! Now his son-"

"My mom. What happened to my mom…?" My breath became frozen as I felt my first tighten, Glynda paused her anger no more as the Witch paused.

"Jaune… your mother…"  
"Is she alive?!" My pulse raced, I felt my heart beating in my chest as I felt a wave of sweat pour down on me. I was hyperventilating I felt my heart _thud_ in my chest as it rose up into my throat choking me as-

"Jaune… do you know of the _Treaty of Fealty?"_

"The what?"

"Some call it the Grand Treaty but it is more commonly known as the _Treaty of Fealty._ It is the code for all Hero and NPC interactions."  
"I… I've never heard of it."  
"I see… Jaune Summer is a Hero. A very important one, when she found you in Ansel she was doing her job." I wanted to punch my aunt.

"She hit my mother!"  
"I know! Summer can be _enthusiastic!_ With her job descriptions!"  
"She made her drop!"  
"I know that! I know what she did Jaune! And you should be _thankful_ to her for doing it!" I saw red my hands balled into first and I pushed myself off from the awkward half hug of my aunt. I forced myself back, my eyes locked onto my aunt. My heart _thumped!_ He temples pounded and I felt the heat rise in my neck.

"What are you talking about!? She might have killed her! She-"

"She punched Summer as she _should!_ " I never wanted to punch someone more in my whole life.

"As she should!? As she should!? That is your sister! In all but blood! How can you say that!?"

"Jaune you are a Partisan! And a _Blacksmith_ of all things! The rarest of them in all! Jaune do you know what would have happened if Summer did nothing!?"  
"She would not have punched my mother!"

"Jaune Summer would have died! She is oath-bound to bring all Partisans to Beacon in Vale! You are special Jaune! Your skill! Rune smithing can save lives! Hundreds maybe even thousands of lives! The cost of _relocating_ one Partisan pales in comparison!"

"I'm your nephew!"  
"I know that dammit! And I love you as my son! But you must listen! This is bigger than you! Thousands of lives can be affected by you! You don't get to just go home!"  
"I don't want to be here!"  
"And I don't want you here! You need to understand just what kind of trouble your mother is in! Jaune she _swung_ on a hero! She attacked Summer!"

"And!? She was trying to kidnap her son!"  
"She was doing her _job!_ She should have taken you! Juniper should have known better!"  
"I can't believe I'm hearing this!"

"Jaune. The Treaty of Fealty says that just as Hero's are bound to protect Peasants, they are bound to not! Interfere with Hero work! Jaune, when Summer was attacked, Juniper broke the treaty! Jaune she committed _treason_ against Vale! Do you know what the price of treason is!? It's death!"

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. All the air left my lungs as I felt my limbs go slack.  
"What?"  
"Death Jaune, _death!_ Summer should have killed Juniper on the spot but she did not! She exercised _restraint_ in just punching her! Jaune Summer is a traitor to Vale! If Summer tells _any_ other Hero about what Juniper did even ones in Beacon! Even students! They can literally go to Ansel and kill her for treason! Do you know how serious this is!?" My tongue-tied in knots, my lungs refused to take in air, I saw dark spots in my vision as I felt ready to faint.

 _Kill her!? They can kill my mom!?_

"But why!?"

"She is a traitor Jaune… She attacked without provocation, Summer did not threaten her, she assaulted a Hero who was only doing her job. Summer might have harmed her but she _spared_ her. She probably didn't even use her full strength! She probably misjudged her power and ended up laying her flat! Jaune as much as you may not like it Summer saved your mothers life. She has said nothing of her attacking to anyone besides Ozpin, Raven and myself. If she spoke to the other Heroes Juniper can die and there is nothing you can do about it."

"I… that's not fair…"  
"Life's not fair Jaune. Summer saved your mother's life. I know that's hard to hear but _if_ your mother is alive and I hope she is she will owe that life to Summer."

"I… you didn't see her… there was so much blood."

"I know things are not ideal Jaune but there are things that are beyond your control in this life. You are a Hero now. Life will be _hard_ for you. You need to learn to play ball with those around you. I know it hurts. I know you don't want any of this! But you need to understand Hero's are not Peasants. They act and think differently. Do not think of them as people from Ansel."

"Then what!?"

"Jaune you need to find friends, you have no established guild. You need to be careful. Find people you can trust. Don't just listen to anyone who talks to you like the damn murderer!"  
"I.. I see."

"Good. Now please go to the damn infirmary you are almost _dead."_

/ / /

After that tense ordeal, I was brought outside the office tired exhausted and uncomfortably close to my own death. I really needed some healing and soon and-

"Jaune!" A loud boisterous voice yelled as I turned to my left a pair of lilac eyes under a mane of fiery blonde hair greeted me as Yang smirked. The Brawler licked her lips as she stalked up to me. Taking long confident stops as I gulped.

"Yang? What's up?" I asked as the Brawler who stalked up to me her massive chest swaying heavily, her breasts _fought_ to break out of the browned leather top that struggled to keep her chest in place. As she walked forward she walked right into my face making sure to _lock_ her eyes with mine. Her gaze piercing and forced me to look away from her as she _slammed!_ A gauntleted first to the wall pinning me to the walls as I gulped.

"I-"

"Jaune! I heard that Weiss _bought_ you!"

"She did not!"  
"Well, either way, you are going to be joining a guild with me! And well I don't think this needs to be said but I need some weapon upgrades! These girls are good but come on you know they can be better." Yang said holding up one of her gauntlets an almost! Level three weapon that was narrowly below the rank of three. Her chipped golden gauntlets seemed to glitter in the sunlight as I nodded.

"Yeah! I'm the Partisan and _partner_ of Weiss. Why do you care?"  
"Cause I am one of the lucky few she has invited to join the guild!"  
 _Yang in the guild? She's strong beautiful and will probably fight well. She seems a good choice._

I nodded once Yang would be a good teammate and she was Ruby's sister so she couldn't be that bad right?

"Well since you're going to be _Weiss's_ Partisan that means that if I want to get the _preferential_ treatment that I deserve I think me and you are going to need to work something out!"  
"Work something out? Like what?" I asked my eyes trying and _failing_ to look at anything but Yang's figure. Her chest was practically shoved in my face when I looked down I was caught by her curvaceous waist that seemed to defy the laws of the world. All wrapped in stylish leather pants that hugged her figure jealousy.

"Well since I know Weiss is your partner she's going to get all the best stuff! So I think I can convince you to let me in on your more _gifted_ works." Yang said as she took a hand and began running it down my chest. I felt goosebumps grow on my skin as Yang licked her lips.

"Look Partisan or not you are a guy and I am _beautiful._ I heard Coco tried this before but was less direct so let me be blunt." Yang's hand _grabbed_ my crotch my breathing hitched as I felt her strong hand clamp down on my groin touching a place that up till now only I had ever gripping like that. A groan left my mouth as Yang let out a cocky smirk.

"There we go, looks like you _do_ have a second sword after all."  
"Yang?! What are you doing?!"

"Simple, I'm making you an offer," Yang said removing her hand and _cupping_ the tent in my leathers. Her hand running up and down the outline of my length as I whimpered.

"Look I'm not saying you stop making your stuff for Weiss or the guild. Not at all! I'm just asking you for some _preferential_ treatment! You take care of me and I will make sure to _ring_ you out-

"Yang Xiao-Long!" A fiery voice said that _shook_ the air as I felt Yang freeze, her eyes rolled into her head as she let out a long sigh.

"Oh for fuck's sake! I was just getting to the good part-"

"Yang Xiao-Long you let go of him this instant!" The booming voice said as yang let go on my crotch, the hardness in my pants still making a tent in them as she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, _mom!"_ Yang drawled rolling her eyes as I looked to my left, _blood_. That was the first thought that entered my mind as eyes red as blood pierced into my skull. The next was-

"Yang?" I asked as I saw double, there in front of me was Yang? Another older version of Yang stood in front of me. Taller, with more developed muscles that were much larger than Yangs who were already _far_ more sizeable than my own. The woman had a long flowing mane of black hair and was dressed in light red armor with decorations of birds on it.

She had a slim necklace of teeth wrapped around her neck as she glared at me and Yang she had the word _Bandit_ high above her head. A long sword was strapped to her hips that was a high level three, nearly four and she looked _pissed._

"Yang!"  
"What is it, Raven? What am I doing wrong _this_ time?" Yang asked crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at the Bandit.

 _Raven? That's her name? Wait didn't she say, mom?_ I thought as Yang glared at her mother?

"What are you doing to him?!" Raven asked stomping over her feet clad in knee-high boots that were the color of her hair stomped onto the floor as Yang rolled her eyes.

"I'm just having some fun _Raven_ , why the hell do you care?" She asked not breaking her eye contact for a moment as Raven stomped forward she was over half a head taller than Yang who was half a head taller than me making me feel like a dwarf trapped between to angry giants.

"And you call _accosting_ him fun? What is wrong with you!? Did Jaune ask you to touch him!?"

"No."  
"Then what are you doing!?"  
"Oh come on! Do you see that bulge in his pants? He _obviously_ likes it! And if he didn't he would have said something right Jaune? You don't mind me _rubbing_ you right?" Yang asked as she winked at me her hand _inching_ to my crotch-

"Stop that!" Raven smacked her daughter's hand away from me with her own pushing me behind her she soft skin even through her armor rubbed against me as being forced behind another beautiful woman did nothing to help the bulge in my crotch.

"Yang what are doing?!"  
"I need weapons mom. He's going to be in my guild. I figured if I worked out an _agreement_ with him then we could both work something out. You know a tit for tat thing." Yang said shrugging her shoulders as Raven shook her head.

"Jaune is not your toy Yang, you don't get to just grip his crotch because you feel like it! Apologize."  
"What?!"

"Apologize for touching him without permission now."

"She doesn't have to mam."  
"See! He's ok with it!"  
"Jaune… that' sweet of you but please be _quiet._ You are a Partisan I don't expect you to know what's in your own best interest. Let a _real_ Hero handle this ok?" Raven asked flashing me a depreciating smile as I felt my fists ball.

 _A real hero? What the hell does that mean?_

"Yang."  
"I'm not doing it."  
"Yang!"  
"He wanted me to touch him! He said it himself!"

"He's a Partisan! Little more than a _Peasant!_ What do you expect from him!? Rational decisions?"  
"He can think for himself mom!"

" _Can_ he? Look at his intelligence and Wisdom! What do you expect!?"  
"Hey! I can think!" I shouted not caring I was yelling at a Hero. Raven paused turning her blood eyes to me that was filled with what I could only call _pity._

"Jaune. I know you think that you can negotiate with her but please. Step back for your own good." I didn't step back, I stepped _forward_. I put myself between the two either by a suicidal urge or just pure anger at being treated as less than a human.

 _First, they drag me here against my will? Then they almost kill my mother! Then they tell me to be grateful for the fact that she was only mauled and not killed! And now they won't treat me like one of them!? Fuck that!_

"Raven I am a Hero. I am here to fight with your daughter. I can make my own decisions and no! Yang I did not want you to touch me no matter how good it felt. That was uncalled for."  
"You see!?"  
"Fuck me, you got hard!"

"I don't care! I can make my own fucking decisions ok!?" I shouted before brushing past both of them still limping from being near death leaving two bewildered Heroes alone in the all as I limped myself to the infirmary…

/ / /

"Well, there you go! You really need to keep yourself in better shape!" The faunus nurse Sandra a _Chirurgeon,_ some type of healer class, said as she finished applying a bandage to my shoulder.

"There you are! You are back to full health Jaune!"

"Thanks, Miss Sandra."  
"Oh just call me Sandra!" The fox nurse with sandy blonde hair and brown eyes said as she sighed. Looking at a small piece of parchment her eyes narrowing as she shook her head. Her long white Chirurgeon robes flowed down as she shook her head.

"You have been in Beacon less than two days and you have already been in my office on death's door twice? Jaune as much as I like a cute _boy_ all alone with me I don't like seeing my students too often. I don't have much faith for repeat offenders." The woman said as I nodded.

"I'm sorry mam."

"It's ok. Just don't come back here too often, unless you are trying to flirt with me? Now if _that_ is the case I'd be more than happy to give you some _special_ service." Sandra said licking her tanned face that reminded me of falling leaves in the latter end of the year as I gulped.

"N-no, mam! It's not that I don't find you attractive but-

"Jaune! It's a joke! Calm down although if you put a few more points in your strength then I might be happy to _tie_ you down for a bit? Maybe use some of my wraps for fun?" Sandra asked as I blushed wildly earning another fit of laughter from the woman.

"I kid! I _kid!_ Now go on it's getting late you need to get back to the common quarters before darkness falls. You don't want to be out late now do you?"  
"No mam."  
"Good! Now get going and don't come back so soon!"  
"Yes, Sandra!"

/ / /

On my return trip, I was once again intercepted this time by Weiss who found me with a list of people she wanted to add to the guild roster that she was slowly but steadily putting together.

"So! In short, I have selected _Yang, Nora, Ren, Ruby_ despite my inclinations to the contrary. _Pyrrha,_ of course, you will love her she saved you before and besides that? We just need to find a location for a guild hall, unless there is someone _you_ want in the guild?" Weiss asked putting away her parchment written in the common tongue for my benefit, a fact I appreciated. She put in the effort to make sure I could read and hear the list of our potential guildmates and I nodded.

"That's a good mix, We should have a balanced group with that."  
"My thoughts exactly! With all of these classes, we are only missing a healer, and I have yet to find one in Beacon that fit my standards. I'll look for one later but until then we will need to be far more careful on missions. I will be sure to bring health potions." Weiss nodded as we began to walk back to the dorms.

"That's a good mix but we seem a bit _blunt."_ I offered as Weiss paused.

"Blunt? What do you mean?"  
"We seem to all be heavy hitting members we have a lot of blunt attack power but about speed? We have Ruby and Ren but what about stealth?"  
"Stealth?"  
"What if we find a Grimm that we can't beat and hack to death? What if we need a more discrete attempt?" I said already gaming my mind. I needed to bridge this subject carefully. I wanted to give Blake her weapons back but I needed to get to know her first.

And an Assassin in our guild seemed like only a plus to me. The fact that she was a beautiful woman whom I could not burn the image of her rear from my brain had _nothing_ to do with it.  
 _I am being perfectly logical_.

"I can see that point of view, but who?"

"Well, I was thinking maybe an Assassin?" I knew I made a mistake the moment I spoke, Weiss's eyes went hard as she bawled her fists as a mask of anger came over face as she snarled at me.

"An Assassin!? Jaune! That is ridiculous!"  
 _Ok, she's mad._

"Why?"  
"They are monsters! They kill people in the night and they will betray us!"  
"We don't know that."  
" _I_ know that! Jaune I am a Mage! I live my life in fear of getting killed by an Assassin! We might face one in the field and that's bad enough but one in our dorm!? Under the same roof!?"

"That's the point!" I saw my in and I struck.

"Think about it, Weiss! You gain more XP from killing humans right?"  
"Yes, why does-

"Then who would have more XP than an Assassin!?"  
"I do not see your point Jaune."  
"Who else to beat an Assassin but an Assassin!? If we have one on our side think of all the benefits that we could get!"

"Jaune. You will need to find a trustworthy one which does not exist!"  
"But what if they did! What if I could find one that was _friendly?_ "

"If you can find a _friendly_ Assassin that you for some reason can negotiate while I know you! Then maybe!"

"So you did buff me with Glynda!"

"Jaune do you know what _common spells_ are?"  
"No… What are they?"

"Ah… A common spell is a spell that anyone with or without magic can cast. If you have over ten Charisma then you can cast _Charm_. Basically, you can influence others with your words using your Charisma score as a base. Coco did that to you and you are lucky my Charisma is somehow higher than hers or you might be her slave and not my Partner."

"I see, so I can cast spells!?"

"You can everyone else once you level up enough you can find yourself with a number of common spells."  
"That's amazing! How-"

"There are a lot, look Jaune it's late. I will consider the Assassin point. You have made a decent stance with it and I will look into of it. Of that, you have my promise." Weiss said as Jaune nodded as the two teens walked in lockstep back to the Beacon dorm as the second day ended…

/ / /

The weeks in Beacon blurred together for me. Days turned to weeks and Weeks turned into months faster than I could even blink. I had developed a rythm of sorts. I woke up with Ren. Got dressed waited for Weiss to _pick_ me up. She would take me to breakfast to make sure I would have the _best_ food Beacon would offer. And only after I finished eating she would feed herself. Before taking my arm and escorting me to my classes which is how I got to the one I am in now.

"Now! Tell me! Who here knows why you should ever switch a weapon?" Oobleck asked the Alchemist teacher asked blinking in and out of reality as he blurred up and down the room. I was trying to take notes but I was still not good at writing. Weiss my Partner had offered to take them for me and she sat next to me with Ruby on my other side. An arrangement I did to avoid Nora who still talked to me as if I was _hers_.

"Switching weapons? Why would we do that?"  
"Ah, Mister Arc! You are not a Hero so you might not know this but! When all heroes are born they have a _drop!_ A weapon literally appears in a ball of light at level three! This is our Hero weapon! That is the weapon that you will use for the majority of your life! Now, who here knows why you would switch such a weapon?" The man asked as Yang raised a hand.

"Because you find a better one?"

"Close! Miss Xiao-long! Close but not quite! When you are born you will know that your weapon has something called _affinity!_ This is the score of your overall effectiveness with said weapon! Right now all of you with your original weapons have an affinity of one hundred percent! That is the highest you can get with a weapon!"

 _I've never seen affinity. Is that new?_

"Now let's say you are fighting a Grimm that can fly! Or had a thick shell! And your weapon is just not doing it! Well, you can use another! All weapons will have an affinity scale with you that is personal to only you! For example, if you use a sword you will some affinity with a spear! Or if you use a club you may have some with a mace! For example! The closer to your base weapon the one you have the better the affinity will be!"

"Now that we know that you will learn that a weapon with more affinity will be easier to use feel more natural and will just feel right! The lower the affinity you have the worse you are with that weapon! The harder it will be to use and the more effort it will take to wield it. Now a weapon _other_ than your own can only max out at ninety percent affinity! Nothing more!" The doctor said as I nodded as the lesson went on I took down even more notes along with Weiss as I worked out my plan.

I needed to get Blake into our blossoming guild. So far we had enough members we still needed to find a guild hall. Roman said he had some _prime_ levels of real estate that he was offering but I didn't know if I could introduce him to my guildmates. He was a Thief even if I knew Roman was a good guy I was barely getting Weiss to open up to the idea of an Assassin in our ranks but dealing with a Thief? That might be a bit too much for the girl.

"Now! When you will all inevitably embark on a dungeon quest you will all need to form a party! Or you should! When you go into a dungeon if you have a party of four or more you have formed a party! If you have less than four you have a _group."_

"But doctor I thought the fewer people fighting Grimm the more XP you can get?"  
"Ah, Miss Rose! On one hand, you are correct! The fewer people in a group means that you must all kill more Grimm that leads to more XP and more drops! But the fewer people you bring the more the odds are you of getting hurt! Now, who here can tell me how you clear a dungeon?"

"You kill the boss Grimm in the bottom layers."  
"Yes! Mister Ren! That is correct! At the bottom of every dungeon, there is something called the _Boss_ Grimm! The strongest in the dungeon! If you manage to go down and slay that then not only will you get a _massive_ pile of loot! The dungeon will vanish! Now in case any of you did not know or were not paying attention all dungeons have different types! Be they the Ruins, Cove, Warrens, or Forrest. All present their own unique biomes and Grimm to conquer and overcome!"  
"Why are they so unique?"

"Mister Arc! Getting involved more, are we? Excellent! Now since you asked the question! We don't know what spawns Grimm biomes in dungeons but they seem to act with care to the world around them. Cove dungeons appear in deserts and Ruins in forested areas. The dungeon difficulty is random but with danger levels of one, three and five respectively."  
"What about two and four?"  
"Those are intermediate levels to dungeons, we found it easier to classify them in three stages with! The knowledge that a Cove dungeon is _always_ two levels _above_ its classification! A level one Cove is equivalent to a level three anything else! A mid-level Cove is the equivalent of a maxed out other dungeons and a high-level Cove is near suicidal for any but the strongest party!"

"How do you know the insides before you go in?"  
"Miss Rose three times so far? Most good! You can tell a dungeon's inside by a going inside and coming back out. Or looking at runes on the side. There is rune guide in the back of the Beacon library and all quest have dungeon biomes mapped out!"

"Now since we are talking about dungeons to any of you who have a Partisan or if you are a Partisan listen up because this fact might just save your life!" I leaned in as did all my guildmates as the man spoke.

"A Partisan despite their benefits is still a _Peasant._ They are not meant to go into dungeons or fight Grimm! And when they do enter one two things happened! For one the get the ability to _critically_ hit!"

The man said as we all looked at him like he was speaking in tongues.

"Critically hit? What's that?" Ruby asked as the man nodded.

"Yes! When they enter a dungeon it _destabilizes_ the Partisan! They become unstable at a _fundamental_ level and they gain the ability to critically hit! As Heroe's you can look at your level you can tell what the amount of damage they do just by picking one up! When a Partisan goes into a dungeon they gain a predetermined chance to deal double damage with any weapon attack!"

"That's amazing!" Ruby said pumping her fists as-

"Not so fast Ruby! While that is powerful it is a double edge sword! They can critically hit enemies but they can also _be_ critically hit! There is a chance that all enemy attacks will deal double damage to them!"

"What?" I asked as I felt my blood freeze as the man nodded.

"Now this is rare and _only_ applies after they go into a dungeon for the first time! Now that is one of two abnormal dungeon affects! That is one of the while they do get the ability to crit they also get something called _stress."_ The man said writing the word in common on the board as I blinked.

 _Stress? The hell does that mean?_

"Just like you see their information on their head when a Partisan goes into a dungeon they are exposed to stress! The presence of a dungeon is too much for a Peasant to take and a counter will appear over their head ranging from one to two hundred!"

"What does it do?"  
"Miss Schnee! For every level of stress, a Partisan receives they get twitchy! For every two levels, they _gain_ one Strength! And for every four they lose one, Perception, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma! As they go on the count might reach one hundred! If that happens they must pass a test!"  
"A _test?"_  
"Yes, Mister Arc a test! When you hit one hundred stress and you _will_ hit that, mark my words. You will be tested! If you pass the test a boon will be assigned granting you powers equal to that of a Hero!"  
"Really!?"

"Yes! But if you fail? You will receive an _affliction!_ That will mar you!"

"What kind of affliction?" The voice of the _beautiful_ faunus said as I gulped I risked a glance Blake had been avoiding me since she punched me off the stairs. I really wanted to talk to her-

"It depends! A partisan can become, Hopeless, Abusive, Fearful and one of the worst _Paranoid!_ These are all mental ailments that will stick with the Partisan permanently unless! They can _relieve_ themselves."  
"The hell does that mean?"

"Miss Xiao-long! Language! But it means that unless a Partisan indulges in a night of drinking, gambling, the pleasure of the flesh they will be afflicted until they die."  
"So all they need is for someone to show them a good time? I can do that." Yank said licking her lips at me making me blush as Weiss frowned.

"Yes, I am sure you can. Now! Class is over! Remember you have combat class today and good luck to all you!"

/ / /

I can admit to not being the strongest person in the world. I was not the wisest, calmest or coolest. But I was not the weakest not that it matters.

" _HAH!"  
"Geh!"_I felt my lungs attempt to vacate my chest and travel up my throat. Yang's punch landed squared in my gut taking the air from my lungs as she lifted me up. I saw white, red and just about every other color in the world.

"Geh!" I groaned fighting back as I swung _Obscurus_ down full force, It connected with the side of Yang's head knocking her off balance, the Brawler was sent skittering to the right as I gagged. I flew a good ten feet before sliding ten feet on the ground. I rolled slamming up and down on the floor before jumping to my feet. My blade was up just as Yang righted herself, her same cocky smile plastered on her face. She bounced up her chest doing an _impressive_ job at keeping her assets intact as she put up her fists.

"Good hit Jaune! Let's see how you do now!" Yang yelled blowing forward, I planted my feet as I spread my stance.

 _Just like you learned at night, remember what Weiss taught you._ I thought as I held my breath. I knew from experience that I needed to keep my feet wide and loose for blocking. Yang's attacks came hard and fast.

"Look out!" Yang said as I bent my knees slashing forward with my sword, as we clashed.

 _Tang!_ Metal met metal my sword hit her wrist creating a shower of sparks. _Obscurus_ hit one of her gauntlets catching one in its place. I felt my arms _buckle_ but hold. My strength had gotten better reaching twenty-seven in the past month a solid three-point increase.

As I blocked one of Yang's fists the other _swung_ in. Going past my guard and slamming into my ribs. I felt pain hot and red flash into my body. I held my breath unwilling to let myself fall. I gritted my teeth as I saw my health drop. I was at 70 out of 95 another increase in my stats.

 _I really need to make myself a shield!_ I thought grimacing the problem with my blade was that it was a onehanded weapon not meant for solo use. It was an arming sword apparently and it was meant to be used with a shield something I did not have left me vulnerable.

Yang's hit took twenty points off my health as I groaned. I kept my footing another thing I had to teach myself. It seemed that all this fighting strategy came naturally to Heroes.

They didn't need to be taught to spread their legs. Keep their feet lose or how to parry or block they just _did_. I winced Yang's punch as always took me off my feet. My upgraded leathers that now had double the amount of leather padding a _thin_ strip of metal placed in between them held fast. It did not do much to keep Yang from taking me off the ground but I fought it. As soon as Yang took me off the floor I lost grip on my sword she grinned taking the opportunity to yank it out of my hands sending it clattering across the arena floor.

It was a well-known fact that I was bad at this, fighting without _Obscurus_ I could not fight worth a damn or that's what they thought. After the first few times, I lost my sword and got my ass beat for over a month I learned to _improvise._

" _Burn."_ I chanted as my hands heated up, my palms becoming hot as coals I took a moving stance just like Yang's punching one. I had learned to mimic her stance more or less over the last month as she jammed a first in.

 _Duck!_ I thought, moving my head just! In the nick of time avoiding a haymaker, her punch had enough force it made a gust of wind blow past my face as it narrowly missed. I ignored it landing a solid punch right to her gut.

"Geh!" Yang Grunted as my fist connected and paused my hands _burned_ the heat used to heat forges flowed in them as she screamed. A shriek left her mouth as my hand burned her gut, she faltered as my other first swung up catching her in the neck with a meaty _smack!_ Yang fell back her body revealing a massive burn on her otherwise pristine flesh. My hands glowed as I took my stance as I surged up.

 _Don't let her catch her breath! If she starts to combo you, it's over!_ I thought as I pressed my attack, I swung my fists in the best imitation of Yang's combo attacks that I could do. Even after a month of observation I was clumsy at best and embarrassing at worst still my hits did connect.

I had a _decent_ level of strength my hits rocked her, she fell back her feet shifting and losing balance as I continued to rain blows down on her.

 _I'm doing it! I'm beating her! I'm beating a Hero!_ I thought as I punched Yang back raining blow after blow on her before-

She blocked. She caught one of my fists before slamming one into my chest. She rocked me back as she held me with her free hand, she launched a blast of blows into me I heard the cracks! Of bones and the pain of being wailed on by such a Brawler as-

"Enough!" Glynda shouted as I gagged my health was now at 40 out of 95 I was down over half and the match ended. Yang was panting a few bruises on her face and neck, she had a cocky grin on her face as she panted she won I lost _again._ A low groan left my body as I felt like hell. I had been in Beacon over a month and still! I had yet to win a battle against a hero! Sure I was landing hits now but still!

I wanted to win a fight! Not just be able to not be beaten half to death! As Yang won she offered me a hand that I took.

"Thanks!"  
"Heh thank yourself! That was a good few punches you landed there if you landed a bit more I might have been impressed! Might." Yang added winking at me as I sighed. One of the many disadvantages of being a Partisan was that everyone knew your health. So Heroes knew how much more damage I could take and would pace their attacks accordingly. They knew when I was weak and they knew just how much damage they were doing.

As the spar ended Glynda approached us her wand pulling _Obscurus_ with her handing it to me in a purple glow.

"Both of you did well today! Yang!"  
"Yes, mam?"  
"That was a smart move disarming your opponent like that. You knew Jaune could not fight nearly as efficiently without his sword and you acted accordingly."

"Thanks!"  
"Do not thank me thank yourself. Jaune!"  
"Yes?"

"You also did well you were severely outclassed and out skilled but still you persisted! You opted to not go for your weapon that you need. A move that would have left you vulnerable and instead chose to fight. A move that was not in someone's eyes smart but it was the best move that you could have done. You stood to fair much better in that kind of fight and that was the correct choice."  
"Mam!"  
"Now onto improvements, Yang! You let yourself get cocky there! Jaune is a Peasant! There is no reason why he should have landed half of those punches on you! What were you thinking?"  
"I…"  
"You can not hold back on your enemy Yang! Some of the things you might fight are Partisans turned bad! You can't hold back in the field ok?"  
"Mam yes, mam!"

"Jaune!"  
"Mam?"  
"I do not know what to tell you. You did what you could and even in defeat, you had little to no chance of victory. Besides keeping a better grip on your sword? I don't know what to say besides good job."

"Mam."  
"Class has ended good job both of you!" Glynda said as I and Yang nodded both of us walking out of the arena as we went about the day.

/ / /

"Jaune." The voice that came from behind me was more than a bit of a surprise, the voice comes from out of nowhere and the hand that gripped my shoulder seemed to just appear out of mid-air taking me completely by surprise and making my body shake needles to say the shriek I left was not the manliest that I could have managed.

" _AIEEE!"_ I screamed turning around in the courtyard a pair of shocked amber eyes under a long flowing raven hairline that was broken by a pair of adorable cat ears along with the word Thief as Blake stood before me.

"Blake!" I said instantly almost giddy I didn't care if I was half dead I had been looking for Blake for over a month and now she came to me?  
"Hey, I was wondering if you had time to talk?"  
"Of course! I'd love to talk!" I said a bit it quickly as she paused a faint smile split her face as she nodded, her cute oval-like face and her thin bee-stung lips pursed up as she nodded.

"Good can we talk now?"  
"Of course! But first I have something for you!"

"For me?" Blake asked her face cocked to the side as I nodded fumbling through my pockets as I gripped it.

"Here!" I said shoving her dagger now a shiny level three! Into her hands as the gorgeous faunus froze her eyes widening to the size of saucers.

"My dagger?"  
"Yeah! That's the one you used to save me!"  
"You kept it? All this time?"

"Yeah! I wanted to get it back to you! I even-

"You leveled it?!" Blake almost screamed jumping a little her body leaving the ground as she gripped the small dagger. She pulled the weapon into her not as large as Yang's but still sizeable chest as a smile so wide and so rich split her face I wanted to faint.

"Yeah! I thought it was the least I could do! Since you saved my life you know?" I asked rubbing my head as-

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Blake said her eyes almost watering as she clutched the dagger to her chest.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry!"  
"Sorry for what?"  
"I punched you down the stairs! I'm sorry about that!"  
"You don't need to apologize!"  
"Yes, I do!"  
"No, you really do not need to apologize!"  
"I punched you down a flight of stairs!"  
"That was my fault! I really should have not surprised you like that! I'm sorry!" I said bowing as Blake paused her perfect face scrunched up before a frown passed it.

"Well if you say I do not have to…"  
"You really do not! Look I've been wanting to talk to you for a month-

"Me too! I have something important to ask you." Blake said her face suddenly dropping as I froze.

 _Important? To ask me? What is she going to ask?_

"Jaune can I ask you something that is very important?"  
"Of course you can!"

"Great! Ok. Will you go out with me?" Blake asked as-

Time froze. Reality paused, the world seemed to freeze and halt. Everything around me froze, reality stopped moving and came down to a grinding screeching halt! As my eyes widened I felt my tongue tied into knots as I began to stutter.

"I… I what?" I asked my mouth hanging open as I knew I was hearing things.  
 _Ask me out!? Ask me out!? No what there is no way that she would ask me-_

"I want to be your girlfriend," Blake said as it felt like an arrow hit my heart. A surge of pure joy filled my body as my mouth flopped.

 _Me?! She wanted to date me?! I! I!_

"Yes!?" I half agreed and half asked still not sure why she was asking me out but not caring I just got a girlfriend!

"Really? You said yes?" Blake asked like it was _me_ doing her a favor when the polar opposite was true! Blake was beautiful in every way shape and form her body was slender and lithe like, her chest was neatly covered in several robed sashes, and she wore some type of two-piece body outfit. Her upper body wrapped mostly in some elaborate type of garbs and covered in a thick jacket that had a hood to obfuscate her face.

Her legs had a tight pair of pants that seemed to prioritize movement over protection. She also had a series of daggers hanging off her waistline, all daggers like the one I had given back but all at a much lower level. The highest being a 2 and the lowest 1.

 _Why are her weapon levels so low? Has she ever been to a Blacksmith?_

"Oh thank you, Jaune! You will not regret this! In fact, you are going to _love_ dating me!" Blake said as I shook my head, her weapons seemed far to low a level for a hero but I shook my head. I had a girlfriend!

"I! Thank you! This is the best thing to ever happen to me since coming here!" I was in paradise! I did it! I had a girlfriend and a _beautiful one-_

 _This doesn't make sense._ A voice said in my head as I froze.

 _You and she have barely spoken a word before this and now she wants to date you? This makes no sense something else is going on. Don't look past this._ A dissenting voice said in my brain as I froze. It had a point up till now I don't think I had even spoken a word to Blake and now she wants to date me? That was suspicious…

"Um, Blake?"  
"Yes?"  
"Why do you want to date me? Not that I'm complaining! I'm really not! But why me?" I asked as Blake paused her mouth feel open and hung for several seconds. Her amber eyes went wide and gained a nervous look to them as-

"Why do I want to date you? Why are you asking?" Blake asked a nervous look in her eyes that made me narrow my eyes.

"I've barely spoken to you why are you asking me to date now? Not that I'm mad! I'm happy someone as beautiful as you is willing to date me."  
"You think I'm beautiful?"  
"Even _blind_ men think you are beautiful," I replied as Blake blushed once before coughing, taking her hand to her lips _whispering_ something into her palm as her eyes flashed pink?  
 _Did her eyes change color?_ I thought as Blake coughed again and spoke.

"I think you are _cute_. " Blake purred her voice coming out from her lips her _thin_ bee-stung lips it flowed down my ears like rich honey. I felt my resistance failing in a moment as-

 _She's casting a spell! She-_

 _I don't care._ I thought as Blake made my legs shake.

"You think I'm cute?" I asked my face twisted in a goofy smile as Blake nodded.

"I know you are cute, you have a smooth face and you have a nice butt," Blake said her words flowed like honey and melted over me as she squeezed my waist.

"You are a _scrumptious_ Partisan you know?"  
"I am?" I half said half drawled, a warm fluffy feeling rising in my chest as I smiled dopely at the love of my life.

"Of course you do! You know it's taking all my will to not tear off your clothes with my _teeth!'_ Blake hissed as I blushed wildly as I looked away from her.

"You don't mean that do you?"

"I do, and since we are dating that means you _do_ care about me right?"  
"Of course I do!"

"Good! Now since you _care_ you would not want me to get hurt do you?"  
"I would never let you get hurt!"

"Good! Then if that's the case would you mind giving _special_ treatment to my blades? If you do _care_ for me you would want my weapons to be good right?" Blake said a line of sweat appeared on her perfect circular face that was made of skin like porcelain. Her face scrunched up in pain?

Like she was struggling to do something, it was almost like she was doing something strenuous and-

"You want me to upgrade your weapons?"  
"Yes! Yes, that would be nice!" Blake winced her face scrunching up as she balled and un balled her fists. I saw her lips moving silently as if she was whispering to herself and-

'Ok… I'd love to help you, Blake!"  
"Good! Good! Then I'll just get going-

"Wait! I need to ask you something to _babe?"_ I asked trying to use a Yang line as Blake froze. Her body went stiff as a board as it looked like she was _forced_ to turn to face me like she was a puppet with its strings pulled.

"W-what do you n-need to ask me-b- _babe?"_ Blake asked as she fought to get her words out it sounded like she was speaking through glass as-

"I'm starting a guild! I would like for you to join!"  
"What?! A guild!? Jaune I'm not- I'm not- I'm not so good with crowds!" Blake forced out her face now covered in sweat as she gripped into her sides. My face frowned as I felt the odd fluffy sensation begin to die down and vanish.

"But you are my girlfriend? Don't you want to spend time with me?"  
"I am! I do! But that is with other people! Not just you… _babe?"_

"But they are my friends, what's so wrong with me wanting my girlfriend to meet my other friends?" Jaune asked as Blake _broke._

"I do! And I will! I-I- I'd _love_ to join your guild if you will have me."  
"I know they will! They are going it love you!" I said wrapping my girlfriend in a hug, loving how soft and warm she was as-  
"Jaune! Too soon!" Blake said pushing me back, I hit the ground _hard_. I slammed down as I groaned.

"That hurt."  
"I'm sorry! I'm just not very good with touching! I mean! Bye!" Blake said before vanishing in a puff of purple smoke as I groaned.

"Why me?" I moaned still wondering why every girl I meet seemed hell-bent on tossing me to the floor.  
 _"Lady problems_ huh?" A calm voice said as a shadow fell over me. A familiar pair of green eyes under a mop of red hair greeted me as I sighed.

"Roman?"  
"You know me kid now word on the street is that you are looking for a guild house? If so let's get the hell out of the sun and stop sweating like damn animals so we can talk _business."_

* * *

 **AN: Well here we go! Another chapter of Brave Sir Robinson! Here we see how Jaune has been taking being a Hero, we got to see Coco! And even Yat's and well... they are _interesting_ allies. We get to see why Weiss is in Beacon and the exact _limits_ and specifics of her stay. We see another side to Summer and Momma bird is in Beacon! That's going to be fun in other news Jaune got a girlfriend!? Knightshade confirmed! Ladies and gentlemen that ship is sailed even if it is with a _twist..._ Shame some people are only in things for themselves ah well. God's Mistake is next! So until then? Stats.**

 **/ / /**

 _ **Stats**_

 _ **Name Jaune Arc.**_

 _ **Level 20**_

 _ **Health. 37/95.**_

 _ **Strength 27. +3**_

 _ **Charisma 7.**_

 _ **Perception 13. + 2**_

 _ **Constitution 23. +4**_

 _ **Dexterity 12. +2**_

 _ **Intelligence 11.**_

 _ **Wisdom 9.**_

 _ **Lien. 267.**_

 _ **MP. NA.**_

 _ **Skills**_

 _ **Stroke the flame: Creates heat from hand useful to forging metal. Warning. Only your hands are immune to said heat.**_

 _ **Minor Rune Smithing. Can create minor Runes for all stats.**_

 _ **Rune crafting. Can create any runt that you have the symbol of. Warning please he adequately leveled before attempting.**_

 _ **Appraisal.**_

 _ **Can always know a weapons level on sight and can maintain and upgrade weapon levels.**_

 _ **Passive. Death's Door.**_

 _ **When health reaches Zero will activate a barrier to defend oneself that can block physical damage.**_

 _ **Common spells. NA.**_


	4. Trial by fire

**AN: OK! Here it is! Another chapter of Brave Sir Robinson! In this one, Jaune's guild get thier new digs! Roman sells them a place at a cut-rate and they also find a new Housekeeper! Who is just _jumping_ with surprises! Jaune gets himself, one _helluva_ mentor, things are looking up! He levels up has a _bonding_ moment with Coco and Oobleck and him talk... all that and more in Brave Sir Robinson! Also just to say this now _yes_ I took inspiration from Forged Destiny when I wrote this said that the first chapter, I _borrowed_ a lot from it but this story is _not_ a copy. It has it's own plot and has _divergence_ from its inspiration fic. I think it can stand on its own and I start to do that _this_ chapter.**

* * *

"Now! You probably want to understand why I have brought you here!" Roman asked as Weiss narrowed her _piercing_ gaze at him. The petite ex-princess gave Roman a withering glare as she stood next to me a hard frown on he face as she glared daggers at Roman.

"Yes _Roman_ , I would like to know exactly why my _enterprising_ Partisan saw fit to contract a Thief of all things to rent us a guild house," Weiss added her disapproval _leaking_ through her voice. Weiss was less than pleased at the so-called _Guild House_ that Roman had taken us to.

"I know what you are thinking! Before you say it _yes_ it's a bit of a fixer-upper!"

"That is putting it mildly," Weiss said looking around with a disapproving glare, the house as it was called was _terrible_ , the floorboards were so molded they were green with growths. The house was large enough able to comfortable fit thirty plus people with a massive living room. FIlled with old dilapidated furniture, several green couches with torn fabric and loose missing seats.

The walls were similarly molded, with gaps in the wood allowing a _brutal_ gust of slightly chilled air come in. It was getting colder as if judging from her brief shivering and folding of arms Weiss could feel the chilled air rush int. The ceiling leaked several off colored dark liquids as the Mage walked forward.

The floor creaked and groaned under her weight, Weiss swore that it would snap! At the slightest touch as she grimaced.  
"This place is _horrid_. Roman, why would we ever even consider staying here?"  
"Now, now! I know it _looks_ bad but hear me out! This place is fully stocked with furniture, food-

"Is the food as old as the furniture? How is staying here close to being healthy?"

"Ouch! Tough girl, I _like_ that! But no little miss, the _real_ reason you want to be here is the price!"

"I _shudder_ to think of what you will charge for this den."  
" _Nothing."_ Roman's words caused Weiss and me to freeze as we paused both of us stared at the older man, me wondering what the hell Roman was going to sell us as Weiss glared at the man.

" _Free?_ Roman, I don't believe in free things. Exiled or not I am a Schnee. Nothing is free."

"Well free is a _bit_ of a stretch, but you will not have to pay me monthly rent!"  
"Then what _will_ we pay you?"  
"Twenty percent."  
"Twenty perfect of what?"  
"All dungeon loot. Pay me twenty percent of _only_ the gold you get when going in a dungeon and we will have a deal."

"Only _twenty!?_ Why are you charging us that cheaply? This place despite being a house that a squatter would turn their nose it is still worth something… it is a roof over our head away from the commons why is it so _cheap?"_ Weiss asked the suspicion clear in her tone as Roman smiled.

"Simple. I like _our_ friend here! Jaune and I go _way_ back! And well since he's a Partisan I'm just helping him out you know?"  
"No I do not _know_ but I will talk to my _partner_ in length about his less than scrupulous choices in friends. First an Assassin, now a Thief? What are you thinking?" Weiss hissed elbowing me in the side as I winced. Her elbow did not hurt me that much not even taking off a point of health but at this point, I was a _bit_ tougher. My stats were still the same but my Strength was about to feel a _raise_.

"Weiss! Roman _is_ our friend! He is my friend, we can trust him!" I said giver her my _best_ puppy dog look as she rolled her beautiful crystal eyes at me. Her head shaking, her long white ponytail wrapped my side as she stared at Roman.

"What's the catch?" She demanded bluntly as ever as for one Roman looked at her confused.  
"What catch?"  
"Where is the catch?"

"What are you talking about girlie?"  
"The _catch_ Roman you are basically _giving_ us a house to live in. Almost no rent, no _monthly_ rent I mean you don't even know when we will go into a dungeon! How do you have any guarantee that we will pay you for your house?" Weiss asked her eyes narrowed to slits glaring daggers at Roman who sighed taking a cigar from his back coat lighting it up with some kind of spell.

 _How can he even cast? He's not a mage how does he get the skill?_

"Well I'll be _blunt,_ I've had this house for a while and the last owners were _not_ the responsible kind. Not too fond of cleaning up their own messes." Roman said with a frown as part of the ceiling fell down with a loud _whack!_ Impacting on the ground in front of him as Weiss deadpanned.

"I can see. Now, what _is_ your angle? Be honest I'm not above negotiating with you."  
"Honestly? I _don't_ have an angle. This house is a net _loss._ Look at it! The walls have mold, the plumbing is a mess! The pipes _barely_ take water in and honestly? I don't have the time _or_ gold to fix it. It's just sitting here collecting dust and I'm tired of it! Now that you are here I stand to make _some_ profit off it. And plus you look like tough kids, you have _strong_ guild members and what not, you should make me a lot of money."

"I don't like this. You should just demolish it."  
"Can't! I would _love_ to but I kind of don't own the land that the house is built on, the man who does won't let me demolish it."  
"Then _how_ did you even build on it? I find that _incredibly_ difficult to believe." Weiss hissed her voice almost glacial, even I felt my pulse go cold as Weiss let out some kind of spell. I could tell when Heroes were casting _common_ spells. Spells that did not need a specific level of magic on others.

I felt a sharp _tingle_ in the air like the moment before a lightning strike, there was a charge filling the room that was somehow burning but cold. Weiss's lips move slowly her lips covering the air with thin permafrost. As she spoke Roman smiled an easy grin on his face as he took a long drag, blowing smoke in the air.

"Long story not a lot of it interesting but to be quick, I own this house. Due to _various_ circumstances none of them my own doing and all beyond my control! I can not destroy it, meaning I have to _pay_ Beacon for rent and I am not making any money on this one!"

"This one? Do you have other houses?"

"I do but _all_ of them are in use by older teams that can and _do_ pay through the nose. And sorry to burst your bubble Weiss, but you are a _long_ way from home and you are no longer the princess you once were." Roman said as Weiss froze her fist balled up as she took a sharp breath.  
"How do you-"

"I'm a Thief, knowing things I should not is my _job"_ Roman said with a Cheshire grin on his lips.

"Weiss, calm down," I said taking her hand in my own she _gripped_ my hand making he wince the first time I ever held a girl's hand was painful as Weiss gulped.

"I see. Very well, since this is the only house we can afford we will sign a contract-

"No need. Just bring me your dungeon log at the end of a quest and you will be fine."  
"You are _shockingly_ easy about this. Are you sure you are not ripping us off?"  
"Nah, not as far as _I_ can tell that is. Plus Jaune's a friend of mine and _Velvet_ can't feed her brothers on hopes and dreams."  
"Velvet? Who's that?"

"Oh! She's your housekeeper, shy thing barely older than you. She's an _NPC_ and she will handle your food, prep meals, and do general housework."  
"If she is on housework she should be fired."

"Go, easy little lady! Money has been tight and well if I can't pay her she can't work right?"  
"But I thought you had _lots_ of other houses making money?"  
"I do but they _cost_ me upkeep. Guilds tend to have wild parties and well, let's just say I'm a bit of a _big spender_ myself." Roman said flashing us both a toothy grin as we nodded.

"Fine. We'll take it."  
" _Amazing!_ Now let's get to some basics…."

/ / /

"So! Roman as-"

"Jaune. I know you are trying your best to be a hero but you _need_ to be more careful!" Weiss hissed my partner walked side by side with me the contract that she _insisted_ Roman make for us to have some legal backing clutched in her hand. The small parchment written in Script was the key to our new guild house. We would pay a non-monthly rent paying 20% of our total dungeon gold loot whenever we cleared one. Roman allowed us to keep any gold from unfinished runs.

"Come on Weiss, Roman is a good guy!"  
"He is a _Thief_ Jaune. He is not someone you can just trust not to walk away with all of our gold! Not to mention our housing contracts!" The mage partner of mine hissed her hands still balled up. I had no idea how Roman knew about Weiss's past but I knew I never spoke a word.

"Weiss just so you know I-"

"Stop. I know better than to say you spoke a word to him. I know _my_ partner more than you think." Weiss said her shoulders dropping as a sigh left her mouth.

"I know you did not speak to Roman or anyone of this matter."

"Thanks… I wouldn't."  
"I know."  
"Alright now how about some food, I'm starved!" I said using my best _forgive me_ smile as Weiss rolled her eyes. My partner shook her head as a thin smile split her lips.

"Do you _ever_ think of anything but food?"

"Hey, I'm a growing boy! I need my food you know?"  
"You are taller than I don't tell me you are still growing, if you keep it up you won't fit in our guild."

"So it _is_ going to be our guild hall?"  
"Yes, Jaune… I already have the contract even if I don't like it it's better than nothing, now come on let's get some food I think the cafeteria has a meat special today."

/ / /

"So _this_ is our guild hall! It's not so bad right?" Weiss asked doing her best to not sound like she had just brought a group of our friends to their doom.

"What. The. _Fuck."_ Yang gagged her mouth hanging open as she saw the guild house, the Brawler was less than pleased to find out that the place she would be living in for the next few years was _this._

"Did you guys wreck the place before we got here? Did you have a party without us?! How could you!?" Nora gasped betrayal flashing over her face, the Barbarian looked horrified at the prospect of our guild having a party without her.

"No Nora, we did not have a party we kind of found the place like this," I said wincing as Nora's face fell her teal eyes narrow as a frown split her lips. Her perpetual cheer fell as she gained an irritated look on her face.

"Well, you guys _suck_ at picking out a house. This place is awful! It looks like a damn tornado hit and then the whole place was dunked underwater!"

"How much are you or should I say are _we_ paying for this… _residence?"_ Pyrrha asked the Champion wincing her gentle angelic face fighting tooth and nail to keep a frown from forming as she gained a dangerous twitch in her eyes. It looked like her face was being split in two as Pyrrha balled her fists.

"Technically it is free," Weiss said her words causing the guild to freeze, a look of _understanding_ coming on their face as Ren rose his eye brown.

"For free?"  
"More or less," Weiss said trying to play off the odd creaks and moans of the house that along with a chill of air that slipped in through the many cracks in the floors.

"At least it's a roof over our heads! And hey! The windows are not cracked either! If you look at it from the right angle it's not half bad!" Ruby said the young Reaper flashing a genuine smile that warmed my heat as she zoomed over to one of the six windows the living room ignoring the moldy furniture that seemed to move in unison to her running.

"See! The window is not so bad!" Ruby said wiping a finger on the window making a loud squeaking sound fill the air as-

" _AIIIEEEEE!"_ Ruby screamed as something slid off on her finger, a thick ball of sludge came onto her finger making the young girl panic.

 _"EW! EW!_ Yang! Get it off me! Please!" Ruby said shaking her hands violent slinging more of the unidentifiable goop around.

"Ruby! If that stuff this my hair you are dead!"  
"Ren! Take defensive positions!"  
"I got you!" I said blocking a slick glob of goop with my sword I swore I _felt Obscurus_ glare at me the weapon blocking the goo from hitting Weiss who gave me a thankful look before giving Ruby a glare that could strip the paint from a sculpture.

"Ruby! Stop messing around! The house will be cleaned soon enough!"

"Sorry Weiss! I-

 _CLANG!_ A loud clang filled the air as the sound of metal crashing against wood filled the air along with a loud cry.

" _OH! Gosh, darn it!"_ A high pitched feminine voice said as the guild paused in an _instant_ all weapons were drawn as all eyes turned to the direction of the kitchen as-

"Stay behind me," Weiss said the Mage stepped in front of me without hesitation her staff pointed out to the kitchen as-

"Oh come on! Don't fall! Please! Please! Please!"  
 _CLANG!_ Another loud clang filled the air along with another curse-

 _"Darn it!_ Why me?!" The feminine voice said as I against _all_ my better judgment stepped forward.

"I'll go first," I said some instinct propelling me forward.

"Jaune?!" Weiss gripped my side her free hand _gripping_ my leathers but failing to find purchase. My strength was greater than hers and I pushed forward. I lightly jogged up to the kitchen where the sounds of a would-be intruder were coming from-

"Jaune!"  
"I got your back!" Ruby the first it break the shock of seeing a _Peasant_ rush off into possible danger was at my side, her _chipped_ scythe that looked dangerously close to level one in her hands as I nodded my head.

"Thanks."  
"Wait! You two _stop!"_ Weiss shouted as footsteps filled the air as we burst in the room.

"Stop!"  
"Thief!"  
"What?! Where?!" The voice of the-

" _Scholar?"_ I asked as the word _Scholar_ hovered above a pair of light brown rabbit ears. A young woman sat in our kitchen surrounded by metal bowls and other items. She had a pair of long brown rabbit ears marking her as a faunus a long with long smooth creamy brown hair and eyes that seemed to _radiate_ pure kindness and understanding. She wore a pair of soft leather dusters, with several flowers stitch down them.

There was a large heart with what looked like rose thorns? Stitched on her chest with blood drops falling off and the words _Ordo of the forgiving rose_ Imprinted in common. She wore a long pair of pants that hugged her surprisingly long and attractive legs and a long pair of _thick_ black boots on her feet.

"Um.. hello?" I asked not seeing a weapon on her as the Scholar looked up a look of fear in her eyes as-

"AH! I'm so sorry! Hi! My name's Velvet! Velvet Scarlatina! I'm your new housekeeper!" _Velvet_ said as she stood up, shaking off several dust particles as-

"Jaune?!" Weiss yelled bursting into the kitchen twin ice balls conjured glowing _deadly_ as the turned into spikes of ice.

"AH! Wait! I didn't do anything!" Velvet said her bunny ears falling flat on her head as she held out her hands in front of her face.

"Wait!"

"Thief! We will take your legs!" Nora yelled charging in hammer raised as-

 _"WAIT!"_ I shouted as I put up my arms, holding both sides back the rest of the guild was now in the kitchen, weapons raised and pointing them at the Scholar who was looking like a mouse trapped by a flock of falcons.

"Everyone calm down!"

"Who is she!?"  
"She's a thief!"  
"What is that?" Velvet asked standing up suddenly completely ignorant of the many armed people in the room pointing sharp objects at her. The faunus Scholar walked over to my blade gripping _Obscurus_ as she looked at it.

"Interesting, you are a Partisan but you do not enchant your weapon? Why is this?" The Scholar asked all fear gone replaced by a calm collected disinterest as she looked at my blade like it was the holy grail.

"Um, Velvet? What are you-"

"Jaune, you do not put runes on your weapon or your clothes, why is this?" Velvet asked looking me up and down like I was a rare animal and she a hunter who had me strung up in a trap. The Scholar had gone from a frightened rabbit to _predator_ in the blink of an eye. Running her hands up and down my sides, feeling and _gripping_ my body like I was a rare item. She ran her thin _soft_ oh so soft hands all over my body questing fingers traced my limbs as the rabbit faunus _examined_ me.

"I didn't have time-"  
"You didn't have the time to add runes to save your life? A village tradition? Did your home not support the addition of charms on some archaic version of honor?" Velvet asked her hand tracking up and down my body making me blush.

"Velvet?! You are touching me!" I said hoping it gets the handsy Scholar to lay off as-

"I know I'm touching you I am not blind. But it is good that you are not blind that would make our relationship unnecessarily complicated." Velvet said flippantly ignoring my criticism as-

"Get your hands _off_ of him!" Weiss snapped out of the spell of disbelief at a Scholar in the kitchen as she stalked up separating me and Velvet with a huff.

"Who are you and what are you doing in our kitchen?!" Weiss demand fixing her, her number two glare that I had seen her use only for other heroes that looked at me for too long and for Ruby whenever she had a bad day. Velvet blinked twice looking at Weiss as if she was not speaking common.

"Who am I? I'm your housekeep! Velvet Scarlatina!"  
"Wait… _you_ are the housekeeper? Aren't you a Scholar?" Yang asked her gauntlets down and a firm frown on her lips. The blond Brawler had crossed her arms around her chest as Velvet nodded.

"Yes, I am! I am the housekeeper for this grounds currently employed if _not_ paid by Roman! Nice to meet you all!"  
"Not to be a dick but why the hell is a Scholar our maid? Why not-"

"I am _not_ a maid! I am a _Scholar_ who is in the _temporary_ , or at least I hope it is temporary, life choice of housekeeping!" Velvet said indignantly as I paused.

"Um, Velvet if you _are_ the housekeeper why is the house so…"

" _Awful?"_ Nora asked the Barbarian looking around the kitchen with unimpressed eyes, the kitchen much like the rest of the house was equally in need of _desperate_ air. The cupboards were an off colored green with several knots in them. There was a table on old thick black wooden legs, with a large number of chairs that looked like they would _topple_ the moment you so much as breathed in their general direction.

There was an oven in the center of the kitchen fully made with all the needs a _Chef_ would use to make meals but with enough add-ons for a non Chef to cook a meal. There was a skink next to it the water pump looked rusty and seemed to be damn near _poisonous_. As I looked around there were around a dozen small cabinets all with moldy doors and several cupboards. All around the kitchen despite being in _severe_ need of repair was at its base a good start.

 _All this place needs is a good makeover and it will be perfect._ I thought as Velvet sighed.

"I _am_ the housekeeper but I am not that good at it…"  
"No shit. You are a _Scholar,_ not a maid. Why do you even have this job? No _how_ do you have this job? Why isn't there a real maid?" Yang asked cocking her eyebrows as Velvet sighed.

"I am employed by Roman to be your Housekeeper. I know that I am not a Maid by class but! I am a competent Scholar!"

"Then why are you a Maid?" Ren asked giving her a blank expression Velvet sighed.

"That is a long story actually, a funny story! Really if you let me tell it…"  
"Wait if you are the Housekeeper why is the house a mess?"  
"That's what I am saying Ruby! I told you this house looked like hell!"  
"Well! That's a bit complicated you see I am a Housekeeper but I can not clean." You could have heard a pin drop a mile away. Our whole guild paused as we first Velvet a withering look that to her credit she took with grace.

"You can _not_ clean?" Weiss asked in the tone I knew she only saved for when Ruby was being _open_ with her affections. Her fists clenched into balls as she grimaced.

"I can! But I can't"  
"Because _that_ makes sense," I said as Velvet shot me a glare.

"I can clean but _only_ if I get paid!"

"And Roman _can't_ pay you?"  
"Actually Jaune… my contract is with _Beacon_ not Roman… and it says that _only_ the guild can pay me… Roman can only pay for my food and provide me shelter… if you want me to clean I need my stipend."

"And _how_ much is that?"  
"Five hundred gold pieces a month. And I'll need them _before_ I start cleaning."  
"This is _ridiculous!_ Why do we have to pay for our own Maid that is _not_ a maid!?" Weiss shouted as I sighed.

"Velvet you look like a nice person but a real Maid-"

"I'm tied to the house."  
"What?"  
"I'm _legally_ regulated by contract to be the exclusive housekeeper for this property. So long as I am alive and not wanted for crimes no other housekeeper can be assigned to this property and I must _personally_ approve of any and all renovations that are done to it."  
"That is ridiculous!"  
"I have my contract." Velvet said pulling up a piece of parchment that Weiss snatched from her hands.

"Give me that! Let me see… if you… you… _why me?"_ Weiss asked as she red the parchment. The color began to drain from her already pale face as a look of pure _incredulity_ crept over her porcelain features.

"Weiss? You ok? _Partner?"_ I asked putting a nervous hand on her shoulder as she looked like she was going to faint.

"I... I… _she's_ got us…"

"You see?"  
"I… Everyone this is Velvet… she is _our_ only housekeeper…."

/ / /

The house had _not_ been practical.

 _Burn_. I thought as I focused my glare I saw the weapon in front of me _glow_ white. I focused all of my energy on the blade in front of me as I gripped the metal.

 _From, shift, bend to me. Grow_ I thought as the weapon began to glow I smiled as I felt the weapon change.

 _Come on you, just grow._ I thought as the weapon lowered I felt the weapon tense as it _surged_ with power I felt the weapon change as a blinding white light filled the room acting like another sun as the weapon cooled off and I smiled.

"Nice. Level three." I said admiring my handy work, I had been given Ruby's scythe the once level two almost level one was now a _healthy_ level three. The weapon no longer had chips or scars on it. The blade was a _sleek_ silver color, it's blade sharpened to a razor's point. The handle was full and sturdy no longer the shaking almost snapped thing it had once been, I flicked the weapon it feels good, it was light much lighter than _Obscurus_ which was the color of blood and plate.

The handle glistened like the crescent moon and the handle was red like roses, I felt a surge of poetic energy in me as I contemplated naming a weapon but decided against it. Naming a weapon was taboo if you were born with it. _All_ hero weapons had a _name_ , the vast majority of weapons never _spoke_ their name.

You needed to raise a weapon to level five to unlock its name. Hero's tended to not name their weapons that they were born with, they felt it was unacceptable to rename them. It was considered _bad luck_ and heroes were a superstitious bunch.

"Not that I can complain, I pray three times and day and don't let my left foot touch a corner," I said remember the strange _tick_ I picked up in Beacon. There was a saying that a left foot on a corner was bad fortune.

As I lifted the weapon I focused concentrating _all_ of my might on it for a brief second before sighing.

"Still nothing." It was over a _week_ since we earned our new home. The guild house was _not_ as bad as I thought but it was still not good. The home was more or less still in shambles, we had done some basic repairs I had been using my own skills to _heat_ metal pipes doing brief patchwork allowing the water to run up into the house.

The runes I set up courtesy of Velvet on the pipes were _not_ professional by any mean but they were stop gaps and that was what was needed.

"Still no number." I had yet to see _affinity_ on any weapon. No matter how hard I tried only heroes could see affinity of their weapons so I had no idea how it would affect them.

"Feels good to me," I said flicking the scythe in my hand as I walked out of my small room. The upper hallway of the guild was much the same as the old wood filled with knotted spots and creaking floors. The house was no longer falling apart but it was closed, the only saving grace was that once we started or _they_ , Weiss had steadily refused to let me go on any Grimm clearing expeditions so far.

She said we would go once the whole group could muster and we would fight as one for larger portions. So Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, and Yang had gone out for Grimm cleaning picking up whatever loot we could, getting Velvet her five hundred gold pieces allowing her to actually get to cleaning a task she was _deceptively_ good at.

"Thank Oum for minor miracles," I said as I began to talk down the stairs.

"Done!" I yelled as shouted for Ruby the excitable Reaper eeped from somewhere, zooming over to the bottom of the stairs in a whirlwind of red roses. Her silver eyes locked onto mine, the once sociopathic genocidal maniac looked more like a hyperactive puppy as she cupped her chin and began to bounce up and down.

"Oh! Is it done?! _Is it!? Is it!? Is it?!"_

"Yes, Ruby it's done take a look," I said holding out her scythe, Ruby _screamed_ her voice was so shrill that I swore the windows would crack.  
"Oh my Oum! Oh my Oum! Jaune! This! I love you!" Ruby said as I blushed my cheeks turned the color of her cape as I looked away.  
"Ruby! You don't mean that!" I said hating how my cheeks flushed.

 _Calm down, man! She's just saying thanks cause you fixed her weapon! It's not like she loves us! But… it would be nice if she did-_  
I shook my head I already _had_ a girlfriend! I had a, no _the,_ most beautiful woman in the world as my lover! The fact that she had not contacted me, noticed me, or even made eye contact with me in over a week was just a coincidence! Just a coincidence…

"Jaune! This… _thank you."_ Ruby whispered her silver eyes wide in shock she ran her hands up and down her new weapon reverently, her eyes locked on the glistening silver metal that now perfectly reflected her own face. Her eyes the exact match for the blade as she gripped it. Pulling the weapon close to her chest and hugging it tightly.

"I won't forget this _ever_ , I'm so happy," Ruby said as literal tears?! Feel from her face.

"Ruby!? Are you ok!?" I asked putting a hand on her shoulder as-

"Holy hell you did that?" Yang asked walking in from the kitchen her face covered in black smudges, she was working with Ren and Velvet to fix some pipes that Vel had _acquired_ runes to make work again. _The way out of this mess is to work_. I thought looking to moldy wood and-

"You did that?! AH! I love him! Do me! Do me!" Nora said jumping up and down zooming up to me. The hyperactive woman looked ready to burst! She was hopping up and down a dangerous gleam in her eyes as-

"Jaune… that is _exquisite._ " Weiss added looking at the weapon with awe, my partner was once again in a silver outfit but robes this time. Weiss had on a silver coat, a leftover trinket from her Atlas days. It was smuggled out for her by her sister Winter, it was a strange item that would keep you warm in the cool and cool in the heat.

It shimmered like the scales on some type of lizard and seemed to stick to her skin. She had a loose silver skirt on that went past her knees, her staff held proud in her free hand. The weapon was now a medium level two and was in need of a once over.

"Jaune while I _do_ think that it is wise to level up our weapons I must _insist_ you level up yours first," Weiss added making a quick look to her weapon obviously wanting for me to level hers as well. I promised Ruby that I would fix her weapon for her and I keep my word.

"I'll do that I have to go study with Vel later on but after that, I'll work on my swords trust me."  
"I do but you will work on far more than just your sword Jaune we got lucky with Velvet. She is a resource that even I didn't see coming. Make sure you learn from her you might just need her to live." Weiss added as I nodded she was right in every way shape and form.

Velvet was a Scholar first and a housekeeper second, while being versed in basic runes and how to clean up and replace wood was nice Velvet was a Scholar who once had a specialized field of interests and that field just happened to be _runes…_

/ / /

"SO! What do you wish to learn today!? I have so much I can teach you!" Velvet said beaming with joy sitting on my bed as I smiled at her.

"I want to know how to make higher level runes."  
"Simple! I have diagrams of all kinds of Runes I collected back when I was at the _Academy!_ Here! Look!" Velvet said holding out a book of etched diagrams at first I thought rune smithing would be hard but now? Instead of going out adventuring risking my _life_ to potentially gain access to a rune now I had almost _all_ runes in existence at my fingertips and I only had to _copy._

"Thanks, Vel! You are saving my life!"  
"Do not thank me yet! You remember our deal?"  
"I will field test all your runes for you."

"AH! I knew you would do it! I'm so happy that I can finally get my work out there again! You know they called me _mad!?_ ME! _Velvet Scarlatina?!_ Of the Sacred order of the forgiving rose mad?!" The faunus demanded fire in her eyes as I laughed nervously Velvet was a bit of an _odd_ case. She had once belonged to a group of Scholars all working together to uncover the mysteries of runes! _Once_ being the keyword, Velvet and her group had a falling out that led to her being exiled several buildings burned to the ground and-

"The fools! They called _me_ mad!? I only killed _ten!_ Maybe _fifty_ people tops in that fire and it was not my fault! If they had just given me the funding I required then it could have all been avoided! But did they give me my funding? No! They did not and now people are dead! Fools right Jaune?!"

"Yeah! Fools…" I said not wanting to get on this faunus' bad side, Velvet _seemed_ harmless enough when you looked at her. Tall, cute bunny ears, _soft_ creamy brown eyes that radiated kindness! She was the literal manifestation of kindness! That had burned to death _over_ fifty people in their sleep when they refused to publish her dissertation on runes, there was that too.

"Exactly! Now, what runes shall you sketch today? I am thinking you will need strength runes. To maximize your strengths and play down your weaknesses!"

"I agree. Let me do strength." I said as I took out a piece of chalk, the dust was enchanted with well dust. A magic crystal that Velvet had left over from her Ordo days that she had _appropriated_ when running away in the middle of the night cackling like a mad woman as she locked the doors. _Did I say that?_

She _locked_ the doors on her old colleagues in the Ordo of the forgiving rose letting them burn to death in the old academy before she left. After that she was on the run for several years before eventually settling down in Vale under a new name, moving back in with her parents and two younger brothers and getting a job in Beacon! Simple life that made no sense but who was I to judge?

"Ok, here it goes," I said as I took the chalk and began to _sketch_ , I felt the power flood out of me and into the chalk. It was like a small river was flowing out of my hands. I sketched the sigils on my blade remembering my limits. Every weapon had a rune limit. It was weapon level times two for the maximum number of runes it could carry, this applied to a lesser extent with armor as you could _technically_ put a rune on any item of clothing that would just be a lot of work.

 _Flow_. I thought as the sigils began to glow blue, I felt _Obscurus_ change it got stronger _I_ got stronger, I feel my power flooding out of me like a gentle river empowered the runes that I crafted. As I crafted them I did extra work to cover both sides of my weapon in strength runes. Each one increasing the user's strength by one point.

"Good. Keep that up, don't stop." Velvet said eying me like a hawk eyes a field mouse. I focused my eyes flipping the blade, tracing the outline of the rune onto the weapon making it glow a light blue before-

"AH! There!" I said finishing my weapon waiting for the runes to _stick_ , the six sigils glowed a light blue before they settled down. I yanked the weapon up and felt my power go up.

My strength instantly read a +6 and now rested and 33. I felt like a _new_ man.

A weight was lifted off my shoulders as I picked up the blade, I felt like a heavy burden that I had been carrying my whole life was suddenly no more.

"What is this?" I asked as I felt _light?_ I felt light! Like I barely weighed anything! No, I feel like I had just taken off a pair of manacles that were holding me down my entire life.

I Lifted the blade and swung. It felt amazing! Every time I swung it felt calm and natural no longer did I even _notice Obscurus_ weight! It felt like I was swinging air!

"Velvet! This is amazing!"

"I know it is! Runes are incredible Jaune and this is only the beginning! Weiss said you could not do a rune over your class level but soon you go into the field! Oh, I can't wait to see you level up!" Velvet said as I felt a _twinge_ of fear go up my spine. She was right soon I would to the _proving_. Every year the first years Hero or Partisan or as they often called us _Peasants_ I hated that word with a passion but that was neither here nor there. At the end of the day words never killed me, but Grimm could.

That's what I was going to do. They would split us up the teacher having us go into specific parts of the Emerald Forest and kill X number of Grimm before calling us home. After that, we would be allowed to take all money earned and go back with new XP and whatever loot we could carry on us. That was why I was upgrading myself. My weapon needed to be up to par and even this blade might not be enough.

"I need to do more, I want to craft runes on my clothes."  
"Good idea! Let me get them off you!" Velvet said before moving like lightning one second I was fully clothed dressed in my improvised brown leathers now with metal mesh woven in between the fabric, the next I was shirtless Velvet held my top in hand allowing my bare toned, but not _nearly_ toned enough, chest to be on full display.

"Velvet!" I said blushing being half-naked in front of a girl was already embarrassing but one that was _not_ my girlfriend? That was something else, the fact that Velvets eyes barely noticed my chest and were looking at my shirt like it was the greatest thing since sliced bread also did not help my ego.

"Come on! Put some runes on this!" Velvet said putting my shirt on the bed a dull candle flickered, on the floor. It was night out and the guild save for us was asleep. They should be, tomorrow we would be tested and if we failed we died. They needed their rest and I needed to do this.

"Ok," I said putting my own wounded pride aside as I focused on my leathers. Constitution runes were next. I was not the strongest but my constitution was up next, I was no good to anyone dead least of all myself and getting my Hp up was a _damn_ tempting offer.

"Alright let's get this started," I said grabbing the chalk, placing the Constitution rune outline on the front of my leathers. I felt the same energy flow into my hands, tingling down my fingertips. It was like I was forcing lighting from my fingers as I sketched.

The run took up the main part of my leathers the glowing symbols that looked like a series of right-facing sigils took up the center of the leather as I sighed.

"There."  
"Great! You put the rune on!" Velvet looked over the moon, her eyes flashed with that burning passion that she got whenever she brought up runes.

"How many more can you put on?" Vel asked as I squinted pressing my fingers on the leather as I froze.

"Two."

"Good! Put those on!" Velvet asked ordered as I went to work. I focused my energy on the runes placing twin more sigils on the piece as I nodded, satisfied at my work.

"Ok done, now I should get my pants."  
"Of course! Take them off!" I felt my cheeks heat up as I almost gagged.

"What?!"  
"Your pants! Take them off!" Velvet said her eyes shining as I saw her hands questing forward, her fingers twitching as she reached for the waist of my pants.

"Velvet wait!"  
"Wait? Why?" The faunus Scholar asked a genuinely curious look in her eyes, she paused not seeming it understand that stripping in front of a young woman in a private room was not something that I necessarily wanted to do.

"Um! Don't you think that maybe I should take my pants off in private?"  
"We are in private, the only one in this room with you is me."  
"I don't think you are getting me, how about I take off my pants and then I put on the runes?"

"But if I don't observe you putting on the runes the how can I take my notes?" The young woman asked without a hint of an ulterior motive. Her eyes widened in a small frown as I winced.

"Vel-"

"Enough talk! Take your pants off _now!"_

 _THUD!_ There was a loud thud down the hall as-

"Keep it down!" Yang yelled as-

"Jaune. Pants. Off. _Now."_ Velvet said as I felt her words, she must have cast a spell on me I felt my Charisma score pulse for a second before I broke.

"Ok…" I said blushing wildly my hands slowly feel to my pants my fingers taking every excuse to go as slow as possible-

"You are taking to long! Here let me help." Velvet said deftly undoing my belt and _yanking_ my pants down without even the beginning hints of a struggle.

"Velvet!" I squealed in a voice that was _far_ from manly, my pants yanked down as I fell on my ass with a thud! Velvet wasted no time yanking my pants off over my boots as she pressed them to the bed leaving me dressed in only my boots and tattered undergarments. I blushed profusely as Velvet looked over me, I covered my chest on instinct desperately turning my head-

"Jaune? What are you doing? Why are you on the ground covering your chest?" Velvet asked her eyes brimming with genuine curiosity, she looked me up and down as if I was doing the most awkward version of a Waltz and not covering my mostly naked body from a surprisingly attractive member of the opposite gender. Velvet _was_ attractive she was tall, taller than me by half a foot without her bunny ears.

She had a nice curvy figure that was accented less so when she wore her old Scholarly robes. Her chest was pressed out slightly not enough for me to see it fully as in Yangs but enough for me to tell she was _gifted_. Her legs were long and muscled and seemed to go on forever-

 _Stop! You can't keep thinking of her like this! One you are dating Blake, two! You don't want him to come out to play._ I blushed brightly Velvet's curious gaze that held nothing but Scholarly curiosity and not a hint of arousal or interest forcing me up. I desperately hoped my hormones would not betray me and lead to an embarrassing situation

'O-ok! I'll get on it." I said ignoring the older fully clothed young woman eyeing me like a piece of meat, or eyeing my pants like a piece of meat, she didn't seem to notice me…

 _Strike two for my pride_. I thought as I sighed, moving it my pants fighting down the last of the blushing as I place my hands on the pants I put the chalk on them felling the rune limit.

"I can put four."  
"Constitution?" Velvet asked her voice inquisitive full of curiosity like a child seeing a new toy or Ruby eating cookies.

"Yeah, that's the plan," I said as I began to sketch, I repeated the same process as before, placing four runes on the pants two on the kneecaps then the on the opposite. I felt the energy flowing in my fingertips as I squinted.

"There. I got it." I said finished the runes as Velvet smiled.

"Great! Now put your pants back on!" Velvet said as if that was not what I was going to do the second I could. As I nodded I put my shirt back on my Constitution went up by to placing it at 25, when I place my pants back on gratefully I felt it shoot up to 29 as I did I saw Velvet frown.

"Is something wrong?"  
"You did not get an erection." Velvet said as I wanted to die. I spat out my spit as I gasped blushing wildly as Velvet frowned.

"What?!"

"I said you didn't get an erection, I am assuming that a young man of your health would be aroused when in close proximity to a member of the opposite gender, do you not find me attractive?"

"What?! No! I mean you are attractive!"  
"Not enough to arouse you."

"I! That's not it!"

"Then what is it?" She asked not a hint of irritation in her tone but a hint of sadness, like an experiment, had failed.

"I! Look I just need to enchant my gloves and shoes ok?"  
"Oh! Before you do a gift!" Velvet said taking out a small item from her Scholar bag, she kept a small satchel on her at all times that she kept her _trinkets_ she acquired over the years she fumbled for a moment before taking out a small necklace.

"Here!"

"What's that?"

"Necklace of Constitution! I have it from my scholarly days! It raises your constitution by around five to six!"

"I! Thank you!" I said taking the necklace from Vel grateful that I knew this woman as I put it around my neck. I _changed_ I felt my Constitution raise as my lungs expanded. I could _breathe_ I felt like I had just started breathing. I took in a _deep_ breath and tasted the air.

"Vel.." I said my chest heaving I felt _strong_ , I felt like I could breathe! Or more precisely I felt like I had _not_ been breathing, my entire life before now, felt off. Every breath that had once felt natural and calming now felt like it had been rough and claustrophobic. As I took my deep full breaths I felt strong. Compared it my breaths just moments before it was impossible to not tell the difference, compared to before and now? I felt like had been breathing through a cloth bag.

"Jaune? How is it?"

"Vel this is incredible," I said as flexed my arms, I felt my muscles move and bulge I felt my lungs _heave_. I felt virile, strong like I was finally able it move my body! As-

 _Grit: You will ignore minor damage to your body._ A new skill appeared over my head labeled _passive_ followed by the word _Grit_.  
"Vel?"  
"Oh! You got a passive skill!" The faunus said her eyes lighting up as I smiled.

" _Passive?"_

"Yes! When your stats level up you will unlock passives! You just got _Grit!_ Now you can ignore minor damage!"  
"What does that mean minor damage?"  
"Basically small cuts and bruises won't affect you! Like if you are fighting a knick or scratch won't make you wince and lose focus!"

"That can be useful?"  
"It only gets stronger as you level up!'

"Ok, let's do the rest," I said as I looked at my gloves and boots. For the glove, I imubuned then with a Strength glyphs each, bring my total to 35 earning me the passive _Strong_. With the description that from now on all attacks that use strength for affinity, not that I knew what mine was, would now receive a damage bonus of my strength score times .5. After that, I put two perception runes on my boots raising it up and gain the skill _Search_. Apparently now I could look for things more closely and objects would not leave my line of sight as easily.

"Good Jaune! This is amazing! If you live through your proving I will show you much more runes!"  
"Um, you could show me now you know?"  
 _"Silly boy!_ You might die! These rune sketches I have are for higher level Partisans! Come back at level thirty-one and I'll show you all the nice things that I have!" Velvet said as I sighed it was true Weiss made me promise to _not_ craft runes over my level and an Arc keeps their word.

"Fine. Ok, I'll go to bed now."

"You should! You are going to need it!" Vel said bowing once before bidding me good night the attentive Scholar left me alone with a gentle? Sway in her body as I groaned realizing that I was not getting a good sleep tonight. But, unlike the common room, I was all _alone_.

"Might as well, if I'm dying tomorrow I'm dying with a night of good sleep," I said taking off my pants and sliding into bed images of a cute faunus with bunny ears filling my mind as I decided to relax...

/ / /

Today was not going well.

"Dammit!" I yelled my blade slashing forward cutting into the monster in front of me. The Beowulf snarled teeth flashing as metal cut flesh and bone. Blood splattered everywhere covering my face blinding me for a moment as I felt the monster tear itself in two. I planted my feet the blade cutting the monster in two, I felt my XP raise as I wiped my face.

"Come on!" I yelled as I wiped the blood from my face my chest heaved in my leathers I _felt_ the power in my chest. I was alive! It felt like I had finally been cut free of chains! It was like my entire life up until this point I had had a massive weight forced on my chest and a bag wrapped around my face, suffocating me preventing me from breathing from living but now I was free.

"Hah! I yelled twirling my blade _Obscurus_ bit into the flesh of another Beowulf tearing it in two, the top of the monsters head was sliced off in one blow. I killed the monster letting the flailing top of its head flops like a half loose piece of meat on a hook before it slammed down.

Its body disintegrated into a black mist and a pile of gold appeared on its bloody corpse.

 _One more to the pile_. I thought as there was now a small _fortune_ under my feet. The amount of Grimm that I had killed had left a pile of gold at my feet and I was now hacking my way through another fresh pair.

"Come on!" I yelled twin monsters slinked at me coming from all sides, I stood my ground I knew that if I charged I would spend my energy pointlessly, even _if_ I felt like I had more energy in me now than I ever had before I was not going to waste.

The first Grimm came at my right coming at me in a zigzag motion right as the one at my left went for my legs. I swung my sword down impaling the one in my feet's zone. I did not want to trip and be brought down, I had been taken here by portal scattered from my guild and more importantly _Weiss_. My partner was nowhere to be found and I needed to hold my own.

"Die!" I yelled killing the first one _Obscurus_ pierced its spine, killing it instantly I yanked _Obscurus_ out instantly right as a pair of talons raked my arm. I winced but pulled through blood flew from my arms as _Grit_ activated. The passive made the Grimm's attacks while painful, _not_ debilitating I shook them off slashing up with full force.

"AHH!" I yelled I felt my strength _surge_ into my arms _Obscurus_ not only tore into the monster's snout but it tore it _clean_ in half! The monster fell in two bloody piles on my sides. I took long hard breaths a feeling of _pure_ power radiating on my chest. I felt good, I felt _more_ than good I felt amazing! I was strong, I was killing Grim on my own with no issues!

"I'm invincible!" As if Oum himself heard me a black blur slammed into me pinning me to the ground, a _sneaky_ monster came from behind me and was now pinning me to the floor.

"Get off me!" I hissed my arms pushing up my Strength tested and _faltered_ the Grimm's snapping in my face it's thick _horrid_ spit splattered on my face. IT's hot rancid breath filled my mouth with a massive breath of halitosis. I gagged barely keeping my lunch as-

" _AHH!"_ I screamed the monster _bit_ , its jaws sank into my arm going past my weak armor and sinking into my flesh.

"Fuck! Get off me!" I shouted flashes of burning agony lanced into my veins, It felt like lightning was in my blood as the monster bit into me. I felt the teeth _scrape_ my bones. I yelled in agony as-

" _FUCK!"_ I screamed as twin more lances of agony filled my body my legs were on _fire_. Twin more jaws locked onto them. I felt the monster tear into me pulling my legs apart. The sound of tearing flesh filled the air as I felt my flesh torn from my very bones, dual lances of burning agony filled my body my vision went red as I tasted iron in my lips.

"Fuck!" I felt my health plummet I was already down to 80 much lower than my new high as-

 _Fisht!_ An arrow suddenly lodged itself into the Grimm tearing apart my arm. It's skull _popped_ as the arrow lodges itself into its eye. I wasted no time pushing it off as-

"Hey there Jaune! You look like you could use some help!"  
 _"Coco?!"_ I asked in disbelief the Arbalist stood in the back of the clearing arrows locked as the-

 _"GAH!_ " Another Grimm came pinning me to the grass another took the place of the one that was on my chest. Another pair of snapping jaws and halitosis filled my face.

"Coco! Help me!" I yelled barely keeping the snapping jaws from my neck _both_ hands pressed into the monster's fur the thing pushed me back the snapping jaws inches from my neck-

"I would help you but!"  
"But fucking what!?" I shouted finally getting the monster to back the fuck off and jamming _Obscurus_ into its neck. It died at once as I lashed out killing one of the monsters tearing apart my legs. It died in a moment, my blade cutting its head off my _torn_ left leg which was a mass of ripped flesh on the ankles down, my right had a monster tear into it-

"AH!" A blur of motion hit me as more Grimm came in, two more jaws sank into my left leg as-

"Coco! HELP!" I begged another Grimm going for my throat!

"I would help but I remember a _certain_ Partisan did not join my guild when I so _politely_ asked!"

"Coco!?" I asked in disbelief pure _shock_ filled my mind as the Arbalist literally _sat_ down on the grassy hill taking her bow in her hands and smiling as I was _torn_ in two.

 _Is she fucking for real!?_ I thought as the jaws of the monster can within inches of my throat. The Beowulf's fangs were all longer than my finger and _cruelly_ curved back filled with thick spit that splattered my fact as it forced me back into the ground.

"Coco! HELP!"

"I would help! But you are not part of _my_ guild-

"I'll fucking join!"  
"TOO late! You are in Weiss's-

"I'll fix your fucking weapon!"

"Swear on your _life?"  
_ "Yes! Now fucking-"

' _Fisht! Fisht! Fisht!_ Three arrows fired at once, one hitting the one on my face two more taking the ones off at my legs allowing me to stab _Obscurus_ in its eye. As the Grimm died I saw my body and wanted to _balk_. My left arm was a mess. A massive chunk of flesh was torn off, blood was sprung from the wound as a mass of loose flesh hung freely off my legs…

" _Fuck,"_ I said as I saw them, both of them were _torn_ blood was everywhere, I had pieces of _crimson_ flesh flapping on the bloodstained ground, _chunks_ of my legs were missing or hanging off them as-

"Fuck!"  
"You don't look good, you need a cloth?" Coco askes smiling cooly an arrow notched in her level three bow as I hissed.

"You could have fucking helped me sooner!"  
" _You_ could have joined my guild." I had never wanted to murder someone more than her in my entire life.

"I'm fucking bleeding to death!"  
"I can see, you are down to sixty? Fifty-nine, fifty-eight-"

"Coco!"  
"Sorry! Just teasing you let me help." The Arbalist said falling to her knees she pulled out a small jug of green liquid and pressed it to my lips.

"Here _drink,"_ Coco said forcing the health potion into my mouth it tasted like honey and mead. I greedily lapped it down I _felt_ my wounds feel less like agony I saw my hp rise by twenty back it either before falling the blood loss keeping it up. Coco moved fast bandaging my wounds as I was _healed_ …

/ / /

"Fuck! You could have helped!" I said rage in my _teeth_ as I hissed out. Coco smiled once her soft brown eyes winked at me in an easy manner as she finished bandaging my wounds. She took her time caring for my injuries wrapping up my _gnawed_ legs in cloth, cleaning my wounds and healing me back to full.

"Aww, I knew you liked me."  
"I hate you! You almost got me killed!"  
"You mean I _saved_ your life right?" Coco teased in an infuriatingly smug voice as she completed my wound care. My legs were now wrapped up in blood-stained bandages, she had in a minor miracle stopped the bleeding with a balm of herbs and bandages from the Beacon infirmary. She had put enough health potions in me to stop the bleeding and now we were almost standing.

"You almost got me killed."  
"I saved you."  
"You made me _beg!"_

"So what? I _need_ more Blacksmiths if you don't' come willingly I will have to use _force."_

"I! Fuck, would have let them kill me?" I asked fear in my blue eyes as Coco fixed me a _withering_ glare a spell activated as I felt _fear_ in my soul Like she was intimidating me.

"Yes. Yes, I _would_." Coco said not even trying to hide her _callous_ look the pierce my soul and made me _quiver_."

"I… why?" I asked as Coco shrugged.

"Why not?"  
"You would have killed me!? Don't you want a Blacksmith!?"  
"One. I would have _let_ you die not kill you."  
"Same thing!"  
"Not to me and two. _I_ need a Blacksmith if you are another guilds who is _not_ helping me what business do I have in your life?"

"You are a hero!"  
"And a Blacksmith that is not helping me is _not_ my concern now is it?" I couldn't believe it, I wanted to _punch_ her stupid beautiful face. I hated Coco with a burning passion I was going to fucking _kill_ her.

"I am a Partisan! I am your _friend?!"_

"Are you? You left me dry last time."  
"You were _threatening_ me!"  
"With three meals a day, safety, security, and a roof over your head that does not leak in the rain?"

"You wanted me as a slave!"  
"A well-kept slave! Think of it like a _pet_ if that helps?"  
"It does not!"  
"Eh I tried, now unless you want to die in the forest follow me, Grimm are coming," Coco said as much as I wanted to fight her she was right we needed to work together or we would both die.

"This conversation is not over."  
"I hope not I like my men to have a bit of _fight_ in them." Coco hissed as I snarled.

"Fuck you."  
"Only if you ask _politley._ " Coco fired back a massive shit-eating look on her lips as we began to walk into the forest.

/ / /

"There!" I shouted my arm wrapped around Coco's waist, the older woman nodded taking a shot and piercing the head of a Beowulf.

"Good call, keep it up." The Arbalist said as I glared at her, Coco was escorting me back to the guild, she was walking next to me keeping a firm eye out on the forest as she pilfered the Grimm.

"What the hell are you even doing here? There." I said pointing to a Beowulf hissing at us from behind a massive three, wider than a shed and taller than my old home.

"Got it." _Fisht!_ It fell with an arrow stuck in its head as Coco sighed

"I _was_ just going through forest minding my own business."  
"Minding your own business where you just _happened_ to walk into a well known first year only event and you just _happened_ to walk where I was in need of help," I said not buying a _word_ of Coco's lie as she smirked.

" _Maybe._ "  
"Coco…"

"It's not _against_ the rules for a second year to show up and _assist_ a fellow student should they feel the need."

"And you just walked into me right?"  
"Sure did."  
"Bull. Over there."

"Got it." _Fisht!_ Another monster fell as I sighed Coco killed the Grimm as we slowly made our way back our pockets _full_ of gold.

"You know you did not _have_ to take half the gold you know?"

"Why not? Don't I get a finders fee for saving your ass?"  
"You almost let me die!" I shouted in defiance as Coco laughed.

" _Almost_ I did not you know? I saved you." Coco hummed her chest pressed into my face, I shook my head beauty or not she was not on my good list of people right now.

"Fine! Can we just get back to the others?"

"Sure call out Grimm when you see em," Coco said as I nodded…

Our walk was a long one Coco killed Grim that got closed to us, she shot them with a casual disdain every one of them died with _contemptuous_ ease as Coco and I progressed, eventually I found my hatred for her waning a bit. I still _loathe_ her I just did not want to stab her in her spine.

 _I might as well make use of this…_

"Hey, Coco?"  
 _Fisht!_

"Yeah what's up lover boy?"

"I… can I ask you a question?" I asked already regretting asking Coco of all people but honestly? She was the only one I could ask, this was a _sensitive_ topic and seeing as Coco did not live with me and she did not seem like she would give a shit I decided to take a risk.

"Sure, shoot," Coco said as _fisht!_

"Hole in one! You see that?"  
"Yeah… Coco, have you ever dated anyone?" I asked as Coco paused the Arbalist _yanked_ out the arrow of the dead Beowulf taking the bloodied arrow and half of the gold. Giving the rest to me, Coco allowed me to _acquire_ half of the gold from the Grimm she killed, a nice gesture but not enough to make me forgive her fully.

"Are you asking me if I am single? Because if so the answer is _yes."_ Coco said grinning like a wolf as I rolled my eyes.

"I'm _not_ asking to date, you Coco."

"Well if you _are_ I'd have to let you know you are not my type, although you _do_ have a boyish charm! You look like a cute boy I might take you for a ride later, only if you are _good_."

"Coco. Let me rephrase that, _have_ you ever dated anybody?"

"Jaune. Look at _me_ , are you actually asking if I have ever dated anyone?" Coco asked raising an eyebrow gesturing to her body, dressed in all brown light clothing. I noticed that for some reason she wore _no_ armor. No other hero really did for some odd reason.

 _Strange_. I thought as Coco smirked, running a hand up and down her body's side as she rolled her eyes.

"Ok.. _have_ you dated anybody?"

"I! Well that's not important! Not like there is anyone _man_ enough to handle me." Coco grumbled a large frown past her face as she Arbalist looked away.  
"What was that?"

"Nothing! Now onto your inquiry, what's up? A lover not responding to you _manly_ charms?"

 _Hammer meet nail._

"Yes… I started dating this girl… she's an Assassin."  
"An Assassin? Got to say you look like the _bold_ type to me! Nice choice what's this lucky lasses name?"

"Blake."  
"Cat faunus? Amber eyes, light skin black cat ears on her head?"

"That's her."  
" _You_ are dating her? Hmm… that would explain her new knives… good job with that by the by. You really know how to upgrade. Glad you are gonna be helping me!"  
"Coco…"  
"Ok! Ok! I tease, but really what's the problem?"  
"Well… she asked me out over a week ago.."  
"Make sense she's a cat you are a field mouse, go on."  
"I am not! That's beside the point! She has not talked to me in a week… she asked me out but we have not done anything…"

"Oh… I see where this is going, Jaune you need to give a girl her space."  
"Space?"  
"She's _not_ a people person and you are new to this! Don't worry about her, she's just a bit…"  
" _Catty?"_ I asked as Coco paused giving a small laugh as she smacked my back.

"Hah! That's it, now keep walking we gotta get back to Beacon before dark, you do _not_ want to be in the forest after sundown."  
"Why not?"  
"That's when the _big_ Grimm come…"

/ / /

"I can't believe her!" Weiss hissed as she got up from her desk the fuming heiress glared at her fists as she fought down a tremor of rage.

"Using you like that?! The _nerve_ of that woman!" Weiss hissed as I sighed I had told Weiss what Coco had done, how she had _saved_ me. I was not wrong in her reaction. Weiss was furious and now we were going home after a long day of class.

The guild was filing out before I paused.

"Doctor?" I asked as Oobleck paused the Alchemist turning to me his green eyes showing behind his glasses as he smirked.

"Yes, Mister Arc! What can I do for you?"  
"Can I talk to you after class sir? I have some questions for you that I would like to ask in private."  
"Questions? Of course, you can! I _love_ to talk to my students! Especially the inquisitive ones! Let's get going to my spare office!"

"Jaune? Are you ok?"  
"I'm fine Weiss I just have to ask the Doctor some questions ok?" I asked as the Mage frowned her blue eyes locked onto mine as she fixed me a firm glare.

"If you need help just call us ok?"  
"I will yell as loud as I can."  
"Yell louder, I want you to make Nora on sugar sound soft," Weiss said as Nora pouted.

"Hey! I'm not _that_ bad!" Nora said as I smiled waving them off as I turned to the Doctor…

/ / /

" _SO!_ Tell me what you would like to discuss!" Oobleck said sitting down and placing a teapot on the small desk of his. The man had me in a small room filled to the brim with books of unknown age some looked brand new fresh off a press, others looked _ancient_ with spine falling into disrepair and cobwebs forming on their sides.

"Yes, sir you said that before that as a Partisan I would face stress in dungeons can you elaborate on that?"  
"But of course I can! I love it when I get to explain!"

 _I bet you do_. I thought as I sighed I knew from talking to Velvet that classes had flaws, for Velvet it was her own stats, she was a Scholar and I could hear her voice in my head as she proudly told me her stats.

 _As a Scholar! I have fifty-three points in Intelligence! Thirty-three in Charisma! And 3 in Wisdom!_ Apparently, all Scholars had high Intelligence, Velvet had fifty-three she was a literal _genius_ but for all the knowledge she was not wise.

Intelligence was apparently the retention of knowledge Wisdom was the _practical_ application of it something that she did not do. A fact evident as she literally burned her old friends _alive_ when they did not publish her work and ran off into the night to join Beacon under a false name and pick the _one_ job she knew the least all in an effort to _cover up_.

"What would you like to know?"  
"Sir what are the odds of me passing a stress check?"

 _"AH!_ Well, the odds are not known precisely! We do know that there is an approximately a forty percent chance you will succeed! Without _outside_ help!"  
"Outside help?"  
"Charms or buffs can be applied to help your chance but that is rare! Now onto your question, when you face your test and you _will_ face it. You will a total of twelve options." Oobleck said as he flicked his fingers as red fire appeared in mid-air.

 _Just like Roman_. I thought as words began to appear. In mid-air twin sets of words appear with two clock hands point to them the words at the top read, _Stalwart, Powerful, Steady, Focused, Courageous, Virile._ On the bottom of the pair said the words, _Paranoid, Shaken, Fearful, Obsessive, Hopeless and Masochistic._ Each word had a clock hand switching to it as I blinked in confusion.

"Doctor?"  
"You see Jaune when you pass a test you have an option of being granted a boon of one of these six _Virtues_ that will give you powers _equal_ to a hero and when you fail you will face an _Affliction_ that will make you suffer."  
"So I can gain six different powers?" I asked the prospect of being _equal_ filled my mind with hope-

"Not so fast! This is a _personal_ choice! You will only gain a virtue _or_ an affliction base on your own personality!"  
"My own personality?"  
"Yes, let me explain, you will _only_ be allowed to gain three virtues or afflictions! And you will only receive that one and it's counter for example. If you gain Powerful as a virtue you will automatically be able to gain _Shaken_ as an affliction, it is it's opposite!" Oobleck said twirling his fingers as the clock hands moved to point between the two words. The red clock hands hung mid-air as Oobleck went on.

"Once you know a virtue or vice versa you will know what to expect on a field passes stress cheek. You will also know one of the pairs of possibilities!"

"What do they do? And what is the best virtue?"  
"The virtues _and_ afflictions are sorted in order or most to least powerful. The strongest on the left and the weakest on the right. Depending on your personality you are vulnerable to either of them. Once you have your weaknesses know you will also know your strengths!"

"What happens if I get a virtue?"

"Well, now that is tricky, while you will be empowered for a time you have a limit of power."  
"I do?"  
"Two weeks. If you can keep your stress level under one hundred for two weeks! Some to the virtue will leave a trace on you as a permanent trait or passive spell. If not then it will simply fade away until you receive another."

"What if I get an affliction?"

"That will be difficult, afflictions raise from potentially deadly to almost _certain_ death! The lesser afflictions like _Masochistic_ will only allow for minor damage to your own person. While something like _Paranoid_ will leave you screaming at your own reflection and stabbing your most trusted allies!"

"But if I have Paranoid does that also mean I can get _Stalwart?"_  
"Yes! The more dangerous the affliction the more powerful the virtue! It is a risk that all Partisans must face!"

"That makes sense…"

"Good! Any more questions?"

"One…"  
"Shoot!"

"Sir… what happens if I fail a Death's door?" I asked Oobleck's face feel his jaw tightened as he frowned.

"Jaune I do not like to lie, to you. In fact, I _will_ not lie to you this is vital. Do you believe in the afterlife?"  
"I am very religious."  
"Oh… well, then you must believe in the _soul_ correct?"  
"Yes… why?"  
"Jaune when your Death's Door is triggered your _soul_ comes out to defend you. It is very powerful but it is _valuable!_ Your soul can normally not be harmed but when triggered it becomes _susceptible_ to not only damage but destruction."  
"Sir?"  
"Jaune… if you die to _anything_ but natural causes your soul is _destroyed_. Jaune I do not wish to frighten you but if you fail as a Partisan there will be _no_ afterlife for you. If you die in the field of battle Jaune… your very _existence_ is _forfeit…"_ His words hit like a blow from Nora's hammer my chest constricted as If felt my lungs tighter, my fingers curled up as I began to panic.

"I-

"Jaune. If you did in the field there is _nothing_ waiting for you. There is no life after death for a defeated Partisan. Jaune when you go into the field you must survive, there is simply no other choice, if you die in the field there is _nothing_ waiting for you. No afterlife, no going on just the horrors of the _void._ The only choice for you is to succeed Jaune, do or _die_ there's simply no other alternatives."

/ / /

"Blake!" I said finally seeing the girlfriend of mine my hands were shaking news of my literal do or _die_ situation was not sitting well with me. Blake paused the Assassin turned to face me as I paused. Her amber eyes _pierced_ me to my core. I felt my body tense up as I flinched.

"You are Jaune right?" Blake asked cocking her head as I froze.

"Yeah! I was just waiting to see how your weapons are doing! I know I made them for you and all! I was just wondering-

"Jaune… when did you first _speak_ to me about these weapons?" Blake asked raising one of the daggers that-

 _I didn't make that._ I thought as Blakes daggers were all new but they were _freshly_ made in some kind of forge by another?  
"Where are my daggers?" I asked as Blake paused her amber eyes _scoured_ my very soul but I held from her thin small lips twisted up in a smile as she nodded once.

"I see… I _thought_ that was what happened."  
"You thought what was happening?"  
"Jaune, did I say _I_ would be your girlfriend?"  
"Yes! I mean you die! You _are!_ I mean I hope you are-  
"Jaune. I do _not_ mind being your girlfriend." Blake said as I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.

"Thank Oum!"

"I don't mind but I must ask _one_ thing," Blake said eyeing me like a hawk.  
"Yes?"  
"Can you _keep_ making my weapons?"  
"Of course! I! I can do that for you!" I said as Blake paused a ghost of a smile appeared on her face as she shook her head. Blake's head was wrapped in some type of light teal cloth, that covered her adorable cat ears. She had a small mask pulled down over her neck. Her body was wrapped in a series of _light_ leather cloth and mesh. Her legs were covered in a loose pair of aquamarine pants, a small pair of boots on her feet. She had a number of daggers on her waist none of them mine-

"Where are my daggers?"  
"Oh… I am keeping those in my room?"  
"Your room?"  
"Yeah! I have a private room I keep all my _personal_ effects there. For safekeeping."  
"Oh! That makes sense!" It said as I saw Blake's eyes _flash_ pink. I saw what looked like pink bursts flash out from her eyes as I felt a _calm_ feeling fall over me. I felt my resistance numb as Blake smirked at me.

"You know when I first heard about you, I was curious."  
"Curious?"  
"I wanted to know more about you, most Partisans would be scared of me, you looked at me with curiosity not fear why is that? I am an Assassin, I _kill_ people."

"Ruby is a Reaper but she is a good person. I don't see why your class would define you."

"I see… so you are _not_ afraid of me?"

"Why should I be? You have done _nothing_ but help me."  
"I punched you off a flight of stairs."

"That was my fault I surprised you."  
"I am an Assassin, I should not _get_ surprised."  
"We all makes mistakes."

"You… you are a strange human… I like you." Blake purred a small smile crept on her lips.

"I think I'll _keep_ you."  
"Great! Wait keep me? Like a pet?"

"More or less, you can move into my room and in return, I'll protect you from harm-

"Umm… Blake? You already agreed to join _my_ guild remember?" I asked slightly fudging the numbers as Blake froze a look of _pure_ panic flashed in her face as she winced.

"I… I did?" Blake asked genuine confusion of her face as I nodded to her.  
"Yeah! You said that last time! I said I would _only_ work for you if you joined the guild!"

'I! I! Dammit! What did you do!?" Blake hissed as I froze not knowing what the hell she was talking about.

"What did who do?"

"I! Never you mind, I know that your guild has a Mage."  
"She's my _partner."_  
"Oh great… she might not like an Assassin in her guild you know?"  
"She said she would give you a shot! Trust me Weiss is great!" I said as Blake moaned shaking her head once before sighing giving in.

"Fine… let's go meet _our_ guild…" Blake said as I sighed my hands _trembled_ I felt fear work it's way into my heart as I fought the urge to cry. To lay down in a ball and ball my eyes out. But that would be unproductive and _not_ flattering complaining would not do me any good, I needed to _work_.

 _No afterlife, do or die... I have to win! If I don't succeed I'm gone! No afterlife no loved ones, no seeing my grandparents! If I die in the field I'm gone._ The horror of my situation struck me like a blow form a sledgehammer, but I _forced_ down my fears. Panicking did me nothing, I needed to fight I was going to live on, I was going to see my home.

'Jaune? You ok, you don't look so well."  
"Fine! I'm fine! Now let's see our guild!" I lied easily I knew I was probably screwed, and I was more than likely going to be _annihilated_ from reality in the end but hell I would rather face death and more likely _oblivion_ with a hall of friends and a girlfriend by my side so I went to meet my fate with a _smile_ on my face and a skip to my step. If I was going to die I was going to do it with my head held _high_.

* * *

 **AN: Alright! Another day another chapter finished! Jaune gets a new home, his guild is in thier new digs and Jaune found himself a new _mentor!_ Velvet is a bit of an _odd_ one. A Scholar on the run from her old guild or what is left of it. Coco found herself a new man! And Oobleck gave Jaune a reality check! And so much more! Thanks for reading and a paid commission is next! So look forward to that! Then Love Struck!**

 **Ps. In case you were wondering Velvet has access to almost _all_ runes ever made. She is not giving them all to Jaune because most of them are high level runes and Weiss is _refusing_ to let him have access to them. But besides that Jaune has access to almost _all_ runes ever made so yeah... that's going go be _useful_ in his future...**

* * *

 **Stats**

 **Name Jaune Arc**

 **Level 23**

 **Health 152/152**

 **Strength 42 +8 Rune**

 **Charisma 7**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Perception 17+2**

 **Constitution 38 + 10 Runes and trinket**

 **Dexterity 13+1**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Wisdom 9**

 **Lien 861**

 **MP NA**

 _ **Inventory.  
**_

 _ **Trinket of moderate Constituiton plus 6 Constitution.**_

 _ **Stroke the flame: Creates heat from hand useful to forging metal. Warning. Only your hands are immune to said heat.**_

 _ **Minor Rune Smithing. Can create minor Runes for all stats.**_

 _ **Rune crafting. Can create any runt that you have the symbol of. Warning please he adequately leveled before attempting.**_

 _ **Appraisal.**_

 _ **Can always know a weapons level on sight and can maintain and upgrade weapon levels.**_

 _ **Passive. Death's Door.**_

 _ **When health reaches Zero will activate a barrier to defend oneself that can block physical damage.**_

 ** _Common spells._**

 ** _Grit. Passive Ignore minor injuries such as cuts and scratches suffer no momentum penalty from receiving them._**

 ** _, all attacks with weapons that use strength as an affinity now deal bonus damage base of strength score times .5_**


	5. Balance

**AN: OK! And we are back with more Brave Sir Robinson! This time Jaune is sent through the _wringer_ he meets some old faces and sees some new sides to people! The blonde also gets tossed into the _ringer_ as he finds a new item and things get _awkward_ at the Guild Hall! **

**Ps. I don't _think_ I need to explain this but just in case you were wondering _yes_ this story is strongly based on Dnd. However! It is _not_ Dnd, the rules are similar but they are not the same. Applying _strict_ DnD thinking to this fic is not the way to go, trust me I know how the rules work and Dnd is _not_ the same.**

* * *

Today was going to be a rough one I knew that from the moment I brought Blake home…

 _"SO!_ This is Blake! She's our new guildmate!" I said force smiling gripping the arm of my _hopeful_ faunus girlfriend. Blake looked on with a disinterested look analyzing her new guild mates. Her cat ears flickered up and down her head as she nodded once.

 _"Hello,"_ Blake said as talkative as ever giving a one-word reply to her new guildmates and my and hopefully in the future our friends.

"Jaune…" Weiss's voice was chilled like ice, her tone was damn near glacial as she glared at Blake. The Mage gave Blake a glare that chilled me to my core, a glare that Blake fully ignored not giving Weiss the time of day as she completely ignored her glare. Blake looked passed Weiss not bothering to say a word to her as she addressed the guild.

"Hello. I am your new guildmate. It is nice to me you.' Blake could not have had a more tone-deaf response if she _tried_. Her voice was so flat it could have been a base for a house, her eyes never met anyone for long. She met the eyes of everyone but Weiss's glaring for a moment before-

"Hello! I am Pyrrha!"  
"Hello." Pyrrha winced Blake didn't change her tone only looking up and down and frowning.

"You… you _live_ here?" Blake asked me her face twisting into a slight frown as she looked at our less than stellar accommodations. The guild house was still under repair, Velvet had been doing her best but that was still not enough. The floors were still moldy, the ceiling creaked and several leaks dripped down onto the floor.

The wood was an off-colored green in most places and the wind still cut through the cracks in the walls.

"You didn't tell me this place was so…"  
"Cozy?"  
" _Awful."_ Blake deadpanned her displeasure naked on her face as-

"If you have a problem without accommodations then you can go back to wherever you stayed before. You do _not_ have to stay here." Weiss hissed making Blake switch her glare to Weiss meeting her eyes for the first time and I swear on my life I saw literal sparks flying between the two.

"It's not that I have a _problem_ it's just I expected a guild to live better. I mean when I was in Beacon I had a private suite and I was just on my own."  
"You had a private suite?" Ruby asked her silver eyes wide in curiosity as Blake nodded, taking a brief glance at Ruby's class before pausing. A shocked look on her face the first real emotion that I had seen since she punched me off a stairway bleeding off her face as she looked at her than to me then back to her.

"Huh… you told me that your guild accepted all kinds, I guess you were telling the truth."  
"The hell does that mean?"  
"Yang-

"It means that I am glad your guild is so accepting of others. I think I will fit in quite well despite some people's _objections."_ Blakes tone became sharp as she glared at Weiss the Mage returned the Assassin's glare two-fold as Blake began to march past them.

"I take it there is a room prepared for me?"

"Yes! The fourth one on the left! You just need to ask Velvet, she's the Maid-

"I am _not_ a maid!" Velvet yelled from somewhere on the top floor as Blake sighed.

"I take it she is not a Maid is she?"  
"No… she's not a Maid."  
"Figured what is she an Alchemist?"  
"A _Scholar."_ Blake gave me the second most expressive glare at that moment her amber eyes widening to the point of saucers as she balked.

"A _Scholar_ is your Maid? Really?"

"Yes?"  
"I… I'm not surprised," Blake said taking her time to test a step placing a lone foot on it and pressing lightly making sure it would not break and send her falling through as she sighed before bounding up the stairs two at a time almost crashing into Velvet who squeaked in panic as Blake brushed past her.

"AH! I'm sorry!" The Scholar said as Blake brushed past her leaving the guild speechless as-

"Well, she has a bad attitude!" Nora said folding her arms a glare in her eyes as I sighed.

"Well, at least she is friendly?"  
"Jaune I have met Grimm that had more personality than her, she is _not_ friendly," Weiss said shaking her head my partner clearly not please at me as the guild began to disperse whispering amongst themselves as I desperately found myself wishing that my girlfriend was a bit more _friendly_ ….

/ / /

"So kid to what do I owe the pleasure?" Roman asked smiling ear to ear once again I found myself in his underground lair. Roman had invited me back to his area after I went to ask about dungeons for adventure for the months to be. Roman had once again given me cool water and the offer of liquor upon my arrival. Neo had offered me some but I had refused I did not need a drink for today I was here on business and I needed a clean mind to take my deals.

"Well, I was wondering something."  
"Oh? You are thinking? Careful kid, we _both_ know that's not your strong suit." Roman said as he winked at me I ignored his comment. Pushing on to what I needed to know.

"Roman I… I just broke level thirty on some of my skills."

 _"Really?_ Good for you! Now, what can I do for you?" Roman asked his emerald eyes glistened in the low firelight, the fireplace behind him was now fully light filling the air with warmth as I gulped.

"Well… I hit level thirty and-

"Let me guess, your whole _world_ changed didn't it?" Roman asked a shit eating grin on his lips as I nodded.

"Yes! It did! I… I feel... I feel like a new person!"

"I know the feeling when one of my stats broken the nat thirty? Let me tell you I thought I have been reborn." Roman said letting out a loud whistle as he leaned back in his cushioned red chair.

"Now tell me why has this brought you here?"  
"I… I need to know. Why do I feel like this?"  
"Like what?"  
"Alive! Why do I feel like I have been breathing in a cloth bag my whole life? Why do I finally feel like I can swing my sword without my body falling apart!? Why do I feel so good!?"

"Well the answer to that is simple kid, this is a bit of a _controversial_ theory but I know how to explain it. Tell me kid have you ever heard of _Balance_ theory?" Roman asked cocking his head to the side as I blinked owlishly.

"No, what's that?"  
"Oh boy, now remember this kid what I am about to tell you is _not_ something you tell to others. You heard it from me but you do not spread it around you here me?"  
"I hear you… what is _Balance_ theory?"

"Well, how do I put this? You know how I explained the nat thirty?"  
"Yes, why?"

"Well let me say this again, what do you see when you look at your stats?"  
"I see my skills. I see the sum total of _me."_

"Good, that's closed let's take your intelligence for example," Roman said as he tucked his gloved hands flicking them together as he allowed a series of red sparks come from them. The word _Intelligence_ appeared in the air as Roman grinned.

"Your intelligence is _eleven_ , what do you think about that?'

"That it's not good?"  
"Well you are _not_ wrong but you are now fully right. Let me explain what do you think the average Intelligence of your random smuck is?"

"I… I don't know?"  
"Well to answer your question the _average_ Intelligence of your basic person is between fifteen and twenty-two. Roman said as the numbers _15_ and _22_ appeared mid-air, summoned in crackling fire.

"So having an Intelligence between fifteen and twenty is average?"  
"Sure is! If your Intelligence is between fifteen and twenty-two you are _decisively_ average!"  
"So that is good?"  
"What!? Jaune my friend! Let me tell you this! As a wise man once said! _Never let me fall into the horrendous trapping of thinking that average is good!"_

"What does that mean?"  
"It means that just because you are average does not mean that you are _good!_ For example, you remember that feeling when you hit level thirty for your Constitution? Do you remember that feeling of feeling like you could finally breathe again? You know why you felt like that?"  
"Because I leveled up?"  
"No! Well _yes_ , you did level up but that's not the point! You broke the nat thirty! You see Jaune when you break level thirty you finally get to _breathe!"_ Roman said as the numbers 15 and 22 became a bird? A red dove flew up before bursting into flames as he smirked.

"You see _kid_ when you hit level thirty you finally get to breathe!"  
"To breathe?"  
"Yup! Until then you are not _benefiting_ from any of your stats! Basically, at level thirty your stats will no longer cause you _harm_. At eleven thirty they do nothing to increase or decrease your ability! Until then your stats are _actively_ harming you and the negative effects only get less as you get closer and closer until you hit thirty. Then you finally get to _live!_ "

'I… I don't get it, you mean that until I'm at thirty…"  
"Your stats are _not_ helping. Once you hit thirty you are _normal_ until then you are decisively below average."  
"But most people are like that!"  
"Yeah, that's a _problem._ Most people are not that smart, they are below thirty and often won't hit them."  
"But… but why? Why is everybody so… under leveled?" I asked my mind whirled a thousand thoughts came into my brain as I wracked my head.

 _Hurting me? How the hell is that possible? I know Oobleck said that but-_

"Well let's be blunt, this is where Balance theory comes it. There is a theory that says to keep Heroes in cheek there is something call _Balance_ theory. It says that a Hero will only ever have around three to four stats above the nat thirty leaving them _deficient_ in the others. This means that we all have multiple weaknesses that can be exploited, it keeps us down and prevents most of us from becoming too powerful and getting power crazy."

"But what about your positive stats? How do they level?"  
"Jaune you are with a Scholar right? Vel?"  
"Yeah, she's our Maid-

"Housekeeper! She's your Housekeeper and don't let her hear different damn woman is a _danger_ NPC for a reason you know?

 _A danger Npc? The hell is that?_ I thought as Roman sighed taking a cigar from his side pocket lighting it once and taking a long drag.

"Ahh, good stuff! Now you know she had one helluva Intelligence scale right?"

"Yeah, she's around fifty-three."  
"She _told_ you? Damn not surprise but hell most people don't reveal their stats. But hear me out, _most_ Heroes have three stats that easily surpass the nat thirty, remember what I said about you preferred stats?"  
"Yeah, I remember."  
"Good! Now while it might _seem_ like a lot having a score of fifty in your preferred stat's is not uncommon. In fact, it's more common than you think especially with a higher leveled NPC like Velvet."  
"Higher leveled?"  
"Jaune Velvet is at _least_ Thirty-six, she's a _strong_ NPC and a danger one to boot!"

"A _danger_ Npc? What is that?"  
"Ah! Well, I would not think you should know but there are certain labor caste members that are called _danger_ class."  
"What the hell does that mean?"  
"A danger class NPC is any NPC that on any given day can walk up to any given hero and beat them into a bloody _stain_ on the floor. Velvet is one of them." Roman said as I felt my jaw drop.

"What? She looks harmless!"  
"Jaune… she is a _Scholar_ just because she looks harmless does not mean that she is. Velvet could if she wanted to wipe the _floor_ with your whole guild with almost no effort."  
"But how? She's a Labor caste how can she beat a while _guild?"_

"Jaune that's why they are called danger class NPC's there are not a lot of them in the world but they definitely exist. Any NPC that can put up a fight or downright win against a Hero on a reliable basis is a danger class and Velvet is one of the _worst_."  
"I… I see…"  
"Good! Now back to your stats, you are just breaking the nat thirty, your skills are finally starting to _help_ you! You have your Constitution and Strength unlocked, for the first time in your life. Your body is _finally_ working with your rather than against you, here let me help." Roman said reaching into his side he fumbled for a moment before he pulled out a small medallion. It had a small goldeneye emblazoned on it as I blinked owlishly.

"What is that?"  
" _Greater medallion of Perception!_ This will raise your Perception score and allow you to _analyze_ your own stats!"

"Analyze?"  
"Put it like this, when rising above the nat thirty for every five levels you go up you _lose_ one level of negative impact until you hit thirty where you don't have any impact good or wrong. With this amulet you can see what the _exact_ effect of your stats is on you, here check it out." Roman said holding out the amulet to me. I hesitated the thing was small it fits into the palm of his hand, there were two long chains that fell from the sides of it and there was a half-opened eye made of solid gold in the middle.

"I… ok…" I said as I took the amulet, I took the amulet from the hand and I _felt_ it. I felt a wave of _awareness_ fill me as I gasped. I saw it I saw my stats flash before my mind as I saw the numbers burned into my brain. I saw my name _Jaune Arc_ I saw my level twenty-two, and I saw my stats.

 **Strength 42 +8 Rune You are physically capable and can fight your way out of most situations.**

 **Charisma 7 You have the Charisma of an emotionally stunted _doorknob._**

 **Intelligence 11 Most people are not very smart you are exceptionally** _ **dull.**_

 **Perception 17+2 You can see most things around you but are confused with rapid movements.**

 **Constitution 38 + 10 Runes and trinket. You can handle most blows to your person and are immune to most illness.**

 **Dexterity 13+1 You have limberness of a drunken sailor with his legs cut off.**

 **Wisdom 9 You burned your hand on the stove more than** _ **once**_ **.**

"What the hell is this? When did it get a sense of humor?" I asked as Roman took the amulet from me I felt a wave of _awareness_ flow from me. I gasped as the man took the amulet from my hand a wicked smile on his lips.

"You like the thing? I had it especially made for me. That bit of _creative_ wording is based on me but what it said is true. To be blunt once you hit level thirty you can _literally_ carry your own weight. Your body stops holding you down and you can finally use your pure physical capabilities to the fullest. Your Strength is above thirty meaning that as long as you have that sword you can kick some serious ass for now."

"You said I was _dull."_

"Kid no offense eleven is _not_ a good number even with a Partisan stat. I mean you don't _need_ high Intelligence but fuck you got to do better than that. You need to put some runes or find some trinkets to help you out. Now it's not terrible yet, You will need to work on some things and I _can_ help you out but until then? I have a _fresh_ order of Runes for you and we are going to be making some money!"

/ / /

"Hit the deck!" A booming voice shouted I never needed to be told twice I hit the ground right as a loud _vithum!_ Filled the air the sound of a monster roaring in pain filled my ears making me wince in pain. Coco was already moving the Arbalist stood over me firing two more arrows into the Alpha Ursa, the massive bear-like creature roared in defiance as she hissed.

"Jaune! Now!" I never needed to be told again I rushed forward the dying monster glared death at me as I stabbed it right in the jugular. It roared, blood flew from its wound splattering my face with the thick hot liquid, it gave one last guttural grunt as it fell as I killed it, I felt my level up as I hissed.

"Twenty four!"

"Good! But we got things to kill so keep up!" Coco said taking her time to flash a smile at me, I nodded already _feeling_ stronger. My stats flew up as I yanked _Obscurus_ out of the vanishing corpse. Needless to say when Coco called me to _work_ on her weapons I had assumed I would be inside all day but instead, I was outside killing Grim _far_ outside of my level class.

Coco had said that if I was to be _any_ good to her I needed to know what the hell I was doing and the only way to do that was for me to level up.

"There!" Coco yelled as another lumbering behemoth rolled out of the tree line. A monster appeared not as big as the monster that I had barely killed with _help_ in my first test came. This thing was a beast, at least half the side of my house and with thick furry legs that were the width of small trees.

It turned its face to us, the red beady eyes glared raw hatred at us-

"Hole in one," Coco said as she fired a _fitum!_ Filled the air as she landed a clean shot on its jaw, the monster screamed its bottom jaw was torn off in one swift motion. It fell to the floor and roared, its breath gurgled on its blood as Coco grinned.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Kill it!" I wasted no time sprinting forward as I stabbed into its neck. I sliced the head of the monster right off its shoulders, there was a blood-curdling _whap!_ Of metal tearing flesh, I killed the monster effortlessly before panting heavily the thing died just like all the other had and as with most of the Grimm today _I_ had gotten the killing blow.

Coco was trying to level me up and the best way to do that was to have _me_ get the killing blow. She said that the killing blow granted you the most experience and since these Grimm were as she called then _mincemeat_ to her I just needed to hold back let her do the heavy lifting and-

 _"Beowulf's!"_ I yelled as a small pack of the monsters approached us I counted twenty all slightly bigger than the ones that had almost torn me to shreds the other day and-

"I got this stand back kid and don't worry you are in the hands of a _professional!"_ Coco said grinning ear to ear before sprinting forward she dashed forward taking her bow and notching three arrows.

I watched in awe as they all began to glow, she recited some form of spell under breath before launching all three into the air above the horde. The arrows flew straight up before they _exploded_ they burst into what could only be described as miniature balls of metal with _cruel_ spikes on them that feel on the Grimm like melon sized chunks of hail.

The Grimm _burst_ like ripe melons Coco's metallic balls that glowed a hot white color that was painful to look at broke them apart. Pulping skulls and shredding torsos. The whole horde was decimated in a matter of moment allowing Coco to easily pick off the stranglers as I gulped.

"You are amazing."  
"Damn straight I am! Now come on we got Grimm to kill and not enough hours in the day to do it!"

Coco said waving me forward as I double back. I went to collect the gold from the slain Ursa major. Coco said since this was a payback for almost letting me get eaten I could keep whatever dropped from the Grimm we slew.

As I picked up the lien noticing how this thing gave me eight _hundred_ lien rather than twenty my mouth dropped I could afford just about anything I wanted! Food, drink, lodging! I was becoming rich!

The idea of wealth was soon taken from me as I saw _it_. A small metallic black box was laying in the center of the Grimm's body surrounded by a pile of lien it was small and seemed to be perfectly made.

"A drop?" I asked as I walked forward to the item, curious to see what the hell had fallen from the monster, if the Grimm was a high enough level then I might get something good out of it! It was a perfect cube without a hint of irregularities in it.

There was a small circular dome at the top with a lone arrow and the markers, _North, East, West, South._ "A compass!" This was my lucky day! I could use one of these things! _Magic_ enchanted boxes that told you what direction you were heading, yes, please! This would keep me from getting lost if I got separated from my friends and Guildmates!  
"Now I just-

I froze as soon as I picked up the compass the needle began to spin rapidly, it shot around in a full circle. Going around and around never once stopping as it did. The needle spun violently not stopping even once as it spun like a top.

"The hell?"  
"Jaune! Get a move on!"  
"Yes, Coco!" I said pocketing the strange compass that just kept _spinning_. Wondering what the hell I just picked up…

/ / /

"Well it _is_ magical but from what I can tell nothing is wrong with it."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Very, sorry Jaune but I don't know what's the deal with this." Velvet said the Scholar looking at my compass with curiosity.

"Do you know anything like it?" I asked hoping for a better answer.

"Like it? Yes, I know of many compasses Jaune some I even made myself but this is neither here nor there. Whatever this is, it's something different."  
"Is that good or bad?"  
"Honestly? I have no idea and I would rather find out sooner than later but until then it's not cursed or anything so far as _I_ can tell so keep it, you never know when it will come in handy." Velvet said looking at my odd compass, the beautiful elder woman looked down at it appearing as she frowned, her thin lips made an awkward motion as she fiddled with it. We were in my room again, Velvet had come at my request to see what the hell was wrong with my item.

I showed it to Coco and she just shrugged her shoulder, said it was probably a dull drop, an item that was not meant for my class. Or just an _off_ item.

"You said it dropped?"  
"From an Ursa yes."  
"Interesting, how long did you have it before you brought it to me?" Velvet asked chanting something under her breath.

" _Levitato."_ Velvet whispered as the box began to float, a small gust of wind lifted it up as she frowned.

"The needle stopped."  
"What? It did?"  
"Yes, look." She said as I saw the box was indeed still, the needle no longer spun wildly as it did when I held it and was now dead still.

"You fixed it!"

"No, I didn't _look_." Velvet waved the box around using her magic to keep it up as it stayed still? The needle had the opposite effect not moving an inch no matter what direction she placed it in.

"So it's broken?"  
"I can't tell. I've tried to analyze it but from all my spells the item _seems_ to be working perfectly."

"But it's not, it won't show me the direction."  
"I know I can tell that, but I can't find something wrong! This is frustrating." Velvet said huffing once crossing her arms, over her still ample chest now pressed out even more in her _house_ clothes. After she finished cleaning and welding the house to the best of her abilities she slipped into a smaller set of robes, these a pale milky color, with long rows of thorns, all dripping blood down her robe as they circled around a large red pumping heart in the center of it.

The design was beyond intricate and I felt like I could _feel_ the drops of blood that seemed to flow down her long robes as she frowned, her rabbit ears flopped down over her head ass he sighed.

"Here you touch it."  
"I got you," I said taking the compass from her hand right away the needle began to spin, shooting around its glass case as Velvet groaned.

"So it _is_ working!"  
"But it's not pointing to a direction."

"It's reacting to you! Something about you seems to set it off, have you tried wandering around with it? Maybe if you walked around the ground you could find something out?"

"That's… that is not a bad idea. Do you want to come with me?"  
"Sorry Jaune! I'd love to but I need to do some research today, you have a day or two left off after your Proving so you should be careful. Relax a bit!"  
"I… ok I'll get going-

"Oh! Wait for a second, I've been meaning to do this to you for a while now and this is a great chance!" Velvet said her brown eyes lighting up as I sense that familiar _spark_ in them She had a manic look in her mouth as a wide grin split her face.

"Do what?" I asked suddenly feeling a twinge of fear run down my spine, as much as I trusted Velvet Roman's words marking her as a _danger_ Npc made me have a second of caution.

"Hold still! Let me see something!" Velvet said her arm lashing out as she yanked me to her.

"Velvet!?" I yelped as she pulled me closer, she grinned her free left hand waving over my face as she began to chant.

" _Aspitico, Levicarnum, Deivtico!"_ Velvet hissed her hand pulsed as long wispy lines of milky white lines with green outlines spread out across my arm. The winds flowed down into my arm as I gasped, I felt the wind dig and _tunnel_ into my arms.

The winds feel like ice needle piercing my skin, even if they did not cause physical pain it was terrifying and-

"Velvet!?"

"Aha! I knew it!" Velvet said taking her hand off of my arm as the wispy winds pulled out of my flesh.

"Vel!? What's going on?" I asked my body shuddering as I felt like my veins ha dice water replace my own blood. The feeling of freezing water in my own flesh soon left as warmth finally returned and-

"You have been _hexed!"_

"What?"  
"Hexed! You got hexed, a lot!"  
"What does that mean?"  
"It means that someone or _many_ people have hexed you!"

"That's not good is it?" I asked as I felt a tremor of fear run down my spine as Velvet gave me that same off-kilter grin.

"Well, it depends! You have learned of the nat thirty from Roman right?"  
"Yeah, he told me, why?"  
"Easy! Ok, so I don't know if you know this but as you level up eventually you will gain skills based on your stats! Once you are passed thirty around very five stat points you gain a new skill! If you use a skill that checks your Charisma or Intelligence against someone who is _under_ thirty! Your spell automatically succeeds!"

"Wait… so if someone was using a spell on me?"  
"If it checked your Intelligence, Charisma or well anything, _not_ Strength and Constitution it automatically succeeds!"  
"Wait… I have hexes on me!?"  
"You have a lot!"  
"I! What can I do?"  
"Don't worry! I can remove them they are relatively low-level hexes be grateful that you don't have any _curses_ but just in case here!"  
Velvet said as she pulled out a small silver amulet from her back pocket. The amulet was small with a large triangle detailed in extensive craftsmanship in the middle, there was a massive open eye that seemed to _pulse_ with power in the center as I gulped.

"What's that?"  
"Amulet of _Revelation!_ As long as you have it on it will tell you when you are being hexed!" Velvet said as I gulped…

/ / /

Walking around with my compass was not as useful as I had hoped.

"Oh come on!" I yelled at the piece of metal as the needle spun. I had no idea where the hell it was going but it was not taking me anywhere. I had left the guild house alone, Weiss as nowhere to be found and with no classes, for the day and _all_ my Guildmates indisposed for the next few hours I wandered Beacon. Looking for wherever the hell my compass took me. Not that it took me anywhere. The thing would spin wildly never really stopping but for before moments pointing hard at North or West before spinning again ever harder leaving me without direction.

"Do you even work?" I asked shaking my device as once again it _shot_ up to the North as I looked up. The needle pointed dead to the Emerald forest?

"The hell is in there?" I asked as the compass pointed dead to the upper left, I frowned not having any classes today and with no guild or Girlfriend around I did what I did best I tried something _new_.

"Ok, then let's go to the forest, maybe I can kill some Grimm?" I asked as I put the compass away and began to walk…

/ / /

I am _not_ a smart man.

"Fuck me! How the hell did I get here?" I asked moaning out loud, I was _deep_ in the Emerald forest not so deep that I was lost. I knew my way back but I was deeper than I had ever been alone. I was alone as well the looming shadows from the massive trees that towered over me were my only companion.

The sun fell through the tattered treetop canopy making long broken lines of sun fall over me. I sighed I was alone lost and this damn Compass had not been taking me anywhere!

"You are not even pointing to the North! How the hell do you plan on me getting anywhere!?" I shouted at the thing that still stubbornly pointed me to the North there was a loud _snap_ of a twig my foot crunched the twig underfoot as I sighed.

"Well if nothing is here I'll go home, nothing to do here," I said looking up as the sun slowly set the final last vestiges of light began to sink below the horizon line as the massive ball of light feel below the horizon line.

"I wonder how far away the sun really is? I mean it hangs in the sky so I can probably get up to touch it if I could fly." I said as I paused cocking my head.

 _I wonder how birds handle it? When the sun is up, if it provides warmth it must be hot how do they not get hurt? How do they avoid being burned by it? Maybe the sun is not hot but warm? I wonder if I can touch it?_ My mind wandered wondering about ways I could literally _grip_ the sun as-

 _Snap!_ The sounds of a snapping twin filled my ears. I turn around my Dexterity still leaving much to be desired barely in the teens as-

I saw _it_ I felt my blood stop then _freeze_ in my veins as I saw it. A monster had come to find me it was a _titan_ the creature the _thing_ if you would call it that was massive.

It walked on four massive legs and had a neck that seemed to stretch out longer than half of its body. The head was massive and looked like a horse, but with a massive white mask on it. The thing had eyes the size of dinner plates that burned with hate. Its jaw was massive able to fit a full cart inside of it and was filled with long pure white teeth glistening with spittle as it moved. The thing moved slowly with a silky elegance that was in stark contrast to its massive bulky frame.

It lumbered into the forest strangely making almost no noise as it did. The monster stalked forward it's massive head turning once its neck the length of half of its oddly canine-like body, twisted to face me. Those eyes that bled raw hate narrowed as the saw me. The thing let out a low groan as it began to growl.

"Oh fuck me!" I hissed _Obscurus_ instantly flashing out as the monster began to stalk forward to me. The creature seemed to zoom in on me but it did not charge, its legs were long and lanky they looked like massive snakes the size of tree trunks with feet the shape of a dog, with massive glistening claws on their front. The thing moved in an elegant but _slow_ gait. It paddled along making almost no noise as it began to close in on me.

"You waiting for an invitation?" I shouted as the monster kept up its slow plodding advance not increasing its speed for a moment as it slithered up to me. Its feet barely left the grass not leaving them for more than a foot as it slid forward. The creature seemed to be in no hurry and seeing how it towered over me its head was far above the top of our Guild house I decided to do what anyone would do and _run._

"If you won't come then I'll run!" I said taking two steps away from the creature-

I never saw the blow coming. One second I was taking my first steps away from the slow-moving leviathan the next? _Pain_.

" _GAH!"_ I screamed out loud as I was tossed free from the ground. Something slammed into me like a runaway cart. The creature's paw slammed into me as I screamed out loud, I felt my ribs _crack_ as I heard a decisively sharp _crack!_ Of bone fill the air as I was lifted off the ground, my vision blurred and turned and twisted into a dizzying spiral of kaleidoscopic colors as I was lifted and crashed into a tree.

I screamed as my side hit the side of a tree, I felt by leathers _buckle_ and my bones crack. I hit the tree like an arrow from Coco's quiver my vision blurred and I gagged, I tasted copper in my lips as I began to spit up blood.

" _AHH!"_ I screamed as blood poured from my mouth I felt like my sides had been _cracked_ open like the side of a walnut. I felt my ribs explode in pain lightning arc's of agony slammed into me as I groaned one look at my heart had it down to eighty-five!?

"Fuck me!" I hissed as I looked it the monster its arm _slithered_ back to it. The long snake-like appendage was slowly drawn back into its center. The limb was like the end of a top. Being pulled back into the core as I groaned.

"Fuck you!" I hissed _forcing_ myself up not letting my mind shattering pain take over as-

This time I _saw_ it happen. One on the limbs the other one that was not being recalled shot out at me. It moved like lightning striking me right on my gut the claws _tore_ into my side a sudden last ditch desperate dive to the side saved me from being torn clean in to, the claws barely missing my chest as they stipped my cloth armor off and ripping into my gut.

I let out a guttural scream as I felt the blades strike. I screamed as I felt _heat_ spread into my guts, I felt my vision blur even worse as my limbs became heavy. I felt like was being stacked with led weights as-

 _Status added: Poisoned_. My stats changed another reading pooped up as a Status effect.

"Poisoned!?" I hissed as I saw my health began to _tick_ down. It went from eighty-five to eighty-four, eighty-three… My health was slowly ticking down as I began to panic. Fear gripped my body a wave of cold sweat filled my skin as I began to panic.

 _I'm going to die, I'm all alone in the middle of the fucking forest and I'm going to die!?_ I panicked fear covering my mind as-

 _The compass!_ A wave of heat flooded my pockets as the compass by some miracle was still in place. I yanked it out and to my horror, I saw the needle was no longer twisting wild but pointing _straight_ at the Grimm.

The long snake, horse dog hybrid of an abomination was slowly moving toward me and the compass as pointed dead at it. I began to hobble I saw that the arm that hadn't been retracted seemed _tense_ ready to pounce as it hit me.

 _It can strike out but not sprint! The thing can clash at me with the claws and the position can slow me down, but it can't run!_ The fact that I might have been able to out _walk_ the monster soon failed to brighten my night as I noticed that for one I was _bleeding_ badly. Blood poured from my chest and upper guts.

I felt the poison bleed into my veins taking down my health, even more, _seventy-eight, seventy-seven_. My health continued to fall as I groaned very step felt like death, I felt like my legs shattered with every footfall.

The very effort to take a step forward made me scream in pain as I shuffled forward, the steady thump _drag_ of the monster behind me filled my ears as I looked behind. My blood went cold as I saw that its standard speed was _faster_ than my shuffling speed.

 _That's how it hunts, it's an endurance hunter! It wounds targets and waits for them to get tuckered out before eating them!_ I gasped my vision blurred and I felt something that felt like cotton from in my mouth. I noticed my leg's wobbled as I began to trip and fall. I was failing my limbs felt like wet towels and my eyes went crossed.

"Can't, stop running…" I gagged my head spun the poison worked deeper and deeper into my veins with every step. My limbs buckled and my breath came out in jagged bursts as I stumbled I needed to find shelter, I needed to get away from this _thing_. The monster continued to chase me its pace unchanging my every haggard breath that force the coppery taste of my own blood out of my mouth and every stumbling step that threatened to send me careening into the ground was followed up by the steady _Thump drag_ of the monster approaching.

Every second it got closer and closer and closer. The monster kept up its steady pace its steady pace not stopping even once as-

"Fuck!" I hissed as I pushed all my effort into a jump luckily I missed the claw that _shot_ out like a ballista. The claw narrowly missed my back as I dove behind a tree, there was a low growl as the monster let out a frustrated sigh, I was dying I needed to get back but that thing would find me. I needed to kill it and I needed to do it now.

"Here goes nothing!" I yelled as I decided to finally say _fuck it._ I drove _Obscurus_ into the side of the tree that I hid behind. I dug my blade into the bark screaming in pain as I lifted my self up.

"Come on you!" I hissed my limbs protested at the exertion, I ignored their protest as I grabbed a low hanging branch.

I wanted to _scream_ my arms felt like they were about to be torn from my sockets as I yelped! I wanted to fall then and there all my limbs felt like jelly my eyes rolled in my head and my vision swam.

 _Focus!_ I snapped to myself as I fought past the pain, groaning in agony as I _lifted_ my arms up. I yanked myself up slowly taking my time to slowly climb the massive tree. The branches were thankfully placed close enough for me to ascend without too much difficulty. Or it would have been if I was not dying, half of my bones broken and a slow poison working it's way past my body.

 _Sixty-two, sixty-one, sixty, fifty-nine…_ my health continued to fall as I felt my strength sap, it felt like I was melting my body falling apart as I climbed.

"Come on you." I hissed biting my teeth forcing the pain to a back part of my mind as I shimmied my way up the tree.

The branches were thankfully solid and dry the felt like chipped _bone_ on my hands as I crawled up the tree. I forced my battered limbs up the tree I almost cried, I had to keep this up a plan was forming in my head and I needed to get the fuck to the top of the tree.

"Come on, come on!" I hissed as I finally got to the midway section, I found myself resting on top of a particularly solid branch that could support mine with _fifty-five, fifty-four_.

The monster came, the thing slouched up past the tree it's long snake-like neck closed to the ground it was obviously thinking that I was near the base of the tree.

The monster horse like head sniffed its massive nostril inhaled the air looking for my scent.

"Come on, come on." I thought as put my plan into place, I _gripped Obscurus_ in my hands as I waited from my perfect moment. I had a plan a bastard of a plan that was formed from desperation and near death, experiences flooded my head as I waited for it.

 _Come on, come on._ The thing sniffed the air looking around the ground as it sniffed the air. The monster seemed to be sensing my blood it's long snake-like head began to rise up as I hissed.

' _Now!"_ I hissed as I dropped, I feel down in a final desperate move I let my momentum carry me down as I gripped _Obscurus_ handle the thing looked up at me as its red eye widened in what I hoped would be surprised as I feel like a meteorite

.

 _Fisht!_ The sound of metal tearing into flesh filled the air as I stabbed down my blade pierced its flesh going right into its fur as I desperately hoped to pierce it's spine killing it at once.

The monster _roared_ bucking its neck back with more strength and power than I thought was possible. The thing snapped its neck back as I felt my grip already weakened by blood loss and poison weakness.

 _NO!_ I thought as I doubled my fingers grip on the blades handle I felt my fingers launch into a _death_ grip, steadily refusing to let go of the hilt of _Obscurus_ as I was flicked around. I was flicked around like I was a damned stray piece of skin. The thing let out a bellowing roar that I felt in my very _bones_. The monster roared so loud I thought I would go deaf I wanted to scream to cover my ears and block out the agony inducing pain but I knew to do that would be death. I would be bucked crashed and _devoured._

 _Not today!_ I hissed as I took my hands and _gripped_ the bottom of the monster neck. I felt my fingers grip into the hide of the monster as I began to _climb_ thankfully I had landed closed to the top of the monsters head. I _climbed_ the monsters back the oddly soft fur of the thing felt rather smooth and refreshing onto my skin as I climbed. My hand dug into the side of the creature as I scaled the quick _thankfully_ quick distance to the top of the monsters head. I barely and the journey fighting tooth and _nail_ my limbs feel like hellfire was pumped into my ve3ins and my eyes were so foggy that I had trouble even seeing but I saw my target.

Those _burning_ red eyes that looked the fire of oblivion stared back into me radiating hate as-

" _Burn."_ I hissed activating my passive heating up my palm before I punched the monster, there were the _sickening_ sounds of flesh breaking on flesh as I _punched_ the monsters eye out. The creature let out a bellowing roar so loud and so powerful that I knew I was soon to be deaf.

" _SHUT UP!"_ I yelled as I felt the monster head squish, my head burned it _sank_ into the horrible meaty insides of its skull flowed over my fingers, I drove my first as fair in as I could searching for my target, looking for the target for my attack as-

 _THERE!_ I said as I felt my hands _grip_ something inside of it, I felt my hand gripped something soft and slimy and I squeezed and _crushed_ it.

I crushed whatever passed for the things brain. The monster froze one last groan left its massive mouth as it fell flat to the earth. There was a massive _thud_ that shook the ground as ti crashed forward. The monster crashed down like a meteor from the heavens. The thing collapsed its massive from going still as I dove my arm down to my _elbow_ into its head.

The thing shook and suffered the _awful_ smell of burning flesh that reminded me of charred leather entered my nose as I wanted to vomit.

I choked down the sell as the thing finally expired, I _felt_ my level up I went up over three levels at once as the monster began to dissipate, the thing fell apart turning into ash as I feel to the earth. I gasped as I felt my air come back into my lungs the poison had _thankfully_ stopped at _forty-seven_ and the monster had left being a literal _mountain_ of lien as I groaned.

"Fuck! You!" I hissed feeling the monster fall as it fell and the soft grass greeted me, I felt the grass under my skin as I picked up my compass the needle spun in rapid _succession_ not stopping as I spat.

"And to hell with you!" I hissed as I put the damned thing back in my pocket forcing my way up. I needed to get back to Beacon, back to the guild and to take a fucking bath I stank…

/ / /

My return to Beacon was not met with much fanfare, I trudged back well past the stroke of midnight, I hear a clock tower chime out the time as I groaned.

"Fuck my life," I said already knowing that I was screwed.

"Weiss is going to _kill_ me," I said out loud as I hobbled my way back to the guild my health was stuck as thirty-seven. I had taken to a more _blunt_ approach to wound treatment just like how I had killed the _thing_ with my passive I treated my wounds much the same way. I took my hands and _cauterized_ the wounds on my gut. While the bleeding was stopped keeping my health at an abysmal thirty-seven I had thankfully stopped my poisoning at bay. I barely hobbled to the guild hose were the lights were-

"Well the lights are one someone is home." I thought as I belle forward barely making it to the door opening it once as-

" _Jaune?!"_ The high pitched _shriek_ of Weiss filled my ears as I groaned my whole guild even Blake was literal up in full combat gear as I sighed.

"Hey guys', I'm _home,"_ I said as the hall descended into chaos….

/ / /

"I don't believe it! Of all the things!? What the hell were you thinking?!" Weiss shouted her voice so sharp and crass that is was painful. She stalked up and down the room in front of me as I groaned.

"Ouch!"  
"Sorry!" Velvet said the Scholar now technical healer was busy dressing my wounds my makeshift cauterizing might have saved my life but the wounds needed to be cleaned up. Healing my bones proved a bit _complicated_ but not impossible. Velvet knew a thing or two about healing and after some _painful_ spells, most of my body was back to normal or so I hoped. Velvet took off the wraps she had put on the scars after checking that the wounds had not reopened before applying fresh wraps-

"What were you thinking!?"  
"I'm sorry!"  
 _"Sorry_ doesn't cut it Jaune! You almost died! What do you think would have happened if you had died!?"  
"I would be dead?"  
"Not just you! This is about more than you Jaune! In case you have forgotten _we_ are in this together! We need to work as a team or not at all!"  
"Weiss-

"Do not Weiss me! Jaune if you die _I_ die! What do you think is going to happen when you got killed!? I would be hung! I would be looking at the _gallows_ tomorrow just because you wandered into the goddamn forest in the middle of the fucking night!"

"I'm sorry! I was just exploring-

"You were being a dumbass! Not again! You are not doing something this stupid ever again!"

"I… I know… I'm sorry…" I bowed my head wincing as Velvet applied the final new bandage.

 _"Ouch!"_  
 _"Sorry!"_

"I…. I'm sorry for yelling… I didn't mean to yell or I _did_ you almost got us _both_ killed. I just want to make it clear that while leveling is important it does _not_ take precedence over your life ok?"  
"Yeah… I know that…"  
"Good. Now please _would you kindly not do that again?"_

 _HEAT_. I felt raw heat in my shoulder as Weiss spoke, I feel the amulet of Revelation that had my a minor miracle stayed on me as my amulet began to glow-

"I… sure I'll listen to your _partner,"_ I said my eyes wide as a feeling of realization dawned on me as-

"Good. This was a rough night for all of us, now please get some sleep?" Weiss asked before turning out of the room as she left leaving me and Velvet alone.

"Velvet!"  
"What!?"  
"Weiss! She tried to hex me!"  
"I mean _yeah_ even I noticed that." Velvet said as if was the most natural thing in the world not a _massive_ violation of my privacy.

"Velvet! She-

"She implemented a _suggestion_ onto you."  
"A what?"  
"She made it so that you would be more likely than not to listen to her warning. Don't worry it's nothing to be concerned on."  
"I think so!"  
"Do not worry Jaune it's ok!" Velvet said as I gulped…

/ / /

The next day had me on _break_.

"Come on Jaune!"  
"Wait up Yang!" I said as I followed my friend and guildmate up a hill. The sun was up and it was time for me to implement an _experiment._

"So I'm gonna guess you have a reason for dragging not only me but all of _this_ out here as well right?" Yang asked pointing to the massive cart that she was pulling for me. In this cart were heaps of armor, I had been excused from class all day and had been allowed time to recover from my trip in the woods.

During this time I was busy with _less_ dangerous activities, I made some minor runes for Roman to sell. We made a nice turn of change and profit from that. I used some of my profits to buy decent chunks of metal to forge into armor.

After the incident in the forest, I decided that as nice as _Obscurus_ is I needed some type of defenses option and thus had managed to forge myself a shield.

The shield now hung proudly off of my left arm. A thing bulky thing made of the best metal I could purchase and the best metal Coco could procure for me, another change in my life as Coco had gone from tormentor to asset.

She had besides leveling me up in the forest and been more than helpful in acquiring more minerals for me to acquire decent chunks of metal to forge into armor that had gone to giving me the skill _Armorsmithing_. I could now create armor for just about anyone given the time, materials and effort but that was neither here nor there.

"Yes I do have a reason for dragging you out here Yang, I want to test something today."  
"Oh? And what do you want to test?"

"I want to see why Heroes don't' wear any armor."  
"What? You don't have to drag my ass up here to get me to tell you that! We don't wear armor for one reason, man."  
"And that is?"  
 _"No affinity."_  
"No affinity?"  
"Yup! No affinity, no armor piece comes with a bit of affinity for us! It all is zero!"  
"All of it?"  
"Yup! If it was more than that maybe we would wear some but why wear something that holds you back? I mean sure the extra level of defense is nice but armor is bulky man. If you don't have the strength for it, you can't even lift if and even when you do the stuff is just dead weight you know?"

"I don't…. But that is why we are here, I have made you several sets of armor that I want you to try on."  
"And you did this because?"  
"I want to see what happens when you wear lighter armor compared to heavier ones, you are one of the strongest Heroes I know and I think you are the _perfect_ candidate."  
"Well if you say so? I'm in!" Yang said bumping her first together as I smiled.

"Excellent! Let's get started…"

/ / /

The results we much as I expected.

"Ok! You can stop!" I said as I sighed, Yang had worn five different sets of armor with _no_ change.

"Damn! I was just getting into this!" Yang said sweat dripping from her brown as she finished her latest _run_. So far all sets of armor had yielded the same results. At first, I had Yang run up and down a small grassy hill on the inside of Beacon, this was to set up a mean. After I had established a base time with an hourglass once again another _benefit_ of Coco I had all I needed to press forward.

Starting off with the lightest set of armor and working my way up by thickness I had Yang run up and down the hill three times. And after a brief moment to distract my eyes from Yang's chest that did _not_ appreciate being contained more than usual and it did not appreciate any of that. I had to cough twice _much_ to Yang's joy as she removed her chest plate showing off her ample bust as she put on heavier and heavier plates.

After two hours of this, I was left with frustrating results. No matter _what_ Yang put on she always made it to the top of the hill and back at the same time. No matter how heavy the armor was she seemed to make it up the hill at the same time with the light armor and the heavy ones.

Even when I had her switch it up, she went from light to heavy, to light, to heavy to light and no matter what her time remained unchanged.

 _Three minutes_. That was the time it took Yang the _exact_ same amount of time to get up and down the hill.

 _How? The heavier armor should make her take more time! But the lighter armor does not decrease the time?! How is that possible?_ I wondered as Yang panted coming back to me, her ample chest that had still caught my eyes even covered in armor heaved and pushed out as she wiped her face.

"Damn! That was a good work out!"

"I… do you really feel no difference? Like not at all?" I asked hoping that Yang had been teasing me she was known for that-

"Nope! Not at all! Why did you think that I would?" Yang asked her face filled with genuine curiosity and confusion as I sighed.

"Fine, I just thought I could get somewhere with this, I mean if we all wore armor that would help our chances of living right?"

"That's what you say but it's like I said man, we don't _need_ armor. Sure some older Heroes use it but besides that? We don't need to, our weapons give us all the defense we need like my old man says! The best defense is a good offense! If you beat your enemy to death before they can hit you what's the point of defending yourself?"

"But what if you can't do that?"

"Then you can just stay behind me! I'll keep you safe and I know you like the view." Yang said winking as I sighed rolling my eyes as I helped put away the sweat covered chest plates my hopes of making armor for the guild seemingly dashed all at once as I rolled my eyes.

"Well now that, that's a bust I guess I can call that experiment a failure."

" _Experiment?_ The hell do you mean by that? What are you checking out?"

"I wanted to know if the heavier weight would change your ability to function but it seems like it does not."

"Well if it makes you feel any better I needed the workout!" Yang said with a toothy grin once again pressing out her chest but this time I didn't even give it a second glance, or I did but that's beside the point.

"Well, I guess we should get back to the guild hall."  
"We could do that, but first tell me what's up with all the curiosity? Near death get you interested in life or something?"  
"Kind of I just found myself wondering about things you know?"  
"Not really…"  
"Well, it's like, the _sun!"_  
"The sun? What about it?"

"I mean we see it every day but have you ever wondered _where_ it is?"  
"Where it is? It's in the sky, _duh."_

"Not that! I mean like where in the sky?"

"Like right above the clouds? If you climbed a mountain you could probably jump to it, now that I think about it… hey! That's an idea! Let's go to a mountain and jump to the sun! I think I can make it and it would be cool to grip it!"

"But that's the thing! The sun makes things warm right?"  
"Yeah, why?"  
"Well think about this, to make things warm you need to be hot right?"  
"Duh, that's basic knowledge."  
"Well think about it! When we start a fire we need to be closed up, to feel the heat right?"  
"Right."

"Well then if the sun is in the sky and we feel the warmth from the ground then it has to be pretty hot right?"

"Well now that you say that… yeah! The sun is probably pretty hot, maybe we should not try to touch it now that you mention it. We might get _burned_."  
"Well, that's the other thing! If it's so hot how come it doesn't hurt the birds!"  
"The birds?"  
"Yeah! If it's so hot it can heat the whole kingdom then the thing must be hot! But when was the last time you saw a bird fall from the sky that was _cooked?_ "

"I… that's a good question, I've never heard of one I wonder why that is?"  
"I don't know! But I want to know! Think about it, have you ever just wondered _why_ things are? Like how things work?"  
"Not really I just assumed they work why?"  
"Like think about it if the sun is hot then that makes clouds hot too right?"

"Well duh, that makes sense clouds are probably hot hell I want to lay in one day you know? Probably feels _damn_ good."

"But think! If clouds are so nice to sleep on why don't we see birds sleeping on them?

"Maybe they sleep on them during the day? When we can't see them?"  
"I… that might happen but I see them resting on tree's and the ground why never clouds?"  
"You ask a lot of questions."  
"I'm curious!"

"Well maybe I can help you with that, you want to see something cool?"

/ / /

" _Calivata, revivium!"_ Yang hissed her palm glowed bright green as I gasped.  
"Yang?! Are you doing that!?" I asked my voice barely above a whisper as Yang grinned, a large toothy smile split her face as she nodded her head.

"Sure am! Just watch me!" Yang hissed as her hand glowed _green_ , lime-colored energy spiked out flooding into the small pot of soil in front of her. Yang forced the energy out as she finished her spell.

The Brawler wiped her head as the occupant of the pot a small green plant a _sunflower_ began to grow. The plant straightened its back as it reached out for the sun that shone in from Yang's window. The Brawler smiled as she snapped her finger.

"There's another one!" Yang hissed putting the plant on top of a window sill where dozens of other sunflowers all grew Yang was _growing_ plants. I was _stunned_ this was impossible! Yang could not grow plants! She was not a farmer, how the hell did she even know the _spells_ that allowed you to grow plants!?

"Yang?! How are you doing this?"  
"What growing plants? Because I'm _awesome_ like that."  
"Yang!"  
"Ok! Ok! The story is simple I always liked to grow things you know? I thought it was so cool watching farmers plant stuff as a kid, I saw them toss seeds into the ground mumble some words and a few months later the whole field was full of plants! I had no idea how they did it so one day I did a test! Just like the kind you had me do!"  
" A test?"  
"Yeah! I took one of their sunflowers back to my house."  
"You _stole_ it?"  
"Tomato, _tomato_ , I took it back home and put it in the soil in the back of my house near the forest were Summer Raven or my dad would not find them. Then after some time, the plant died…" Yang's voice went quiet as her usual peppy tone died off, I frowned seeing my friend down made me feel down as I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, you didn't get a _house_ plant you did not have the domestic enchantment on it how did you expect that to end?"  
"Well, that's the thing! After the flower died I noticed that there were these small black things left behind when I went to bury it!"  
"You mean the seeds?"  
"Yeah! I knew plants came from them but I didn't know how to activate them."  
"You need the _spell of growth_ to grow plants."  
"That' what I _thought!_ As it turned out you don't need the spell to grow them!" Yang was talking _madness_. Not having to know the spells to grow plants? How the hell did you even grow them?!

"How the hell did you grow them?!"  
"Well I put the seeds in the ground then I just started to treat them like people!"  
"Like _people?"_

"Yeah! I came out there twice a day I snuck out water from my house not easy with _my_ mom. I knew that Farmers put water on them so I thought hell I need water to live plants are alive so they must need water too!"

"But you didn't _enchant_ the water…"

"I know! I watered them twice a day, I read them story books from Ruby's room and eventually! After about three weeks they began to grow!"  
"They what?!"  
"They grew! I started to grow the plants _without_ a spell!"  
"But… but that's _impossible!"_

"I know! That's what I thought but it worked! I grew more and more sunflowers like this than after a while? I learned the spell of harvest!"  
"How?!"  
"I don't know! It was just like one day I was watering the plants in secret then bang! I just saw the spell flash in front of my eyes! Now I know the spell of harvest up to level four! I can only use it a bit and it _hurts_ like hell when I do! And I can only make sunflowers grow but I can still use it! And it's so much easier!"

"I… you… you are learning spells _outside_ of your class?"  
"Yeah! It's almost like I'm becoming two things at once! Sort of like I'm _multiclassing?_ "  
"Is that even a thing?!"

"I honestly have no idea but I love doing this! Growing plants is literally the best part of my day, honestly? I kind of wish I was born a farmer, like if I could have grown plants all day? I don't think that I would mind it you know?"  
"I… you _want_ to be a Labor caster?"  
"Not really, but sometimes I think fuck it, I could do the fields," Yang said smiling at her small botanical paradise. Her room despite the odd led bars used as weights and the spares spattering of clothes was absolutely _filled_ with pots full of sunflowers. I had no idea where the hell she got them from but something about this seemed right…

This _beautiful_ blonde woman with hair that reminded me of the sun, surrounded by flowers that _glowed_ in the morning life, her hair matched the petals of the plants and blended together in one mass of yellow and green. Yang smiled stroking the top of a sunflower a forlorn look on her face.

"It's nice… to _make_ something you know? I spend all my days breaking shit bones, people Grimm it's nice to take a break to create something."  
"I.. I can see that… it… it's beautiful."  
"The plants or me?"  
 _"Both._ " The words left my mouth too quick to stop as-

"Hah! Nice one blondie, you are not too bad looking yourself but you are taken remember? I don't want your girl getting even _cattier_ than she already is." Yang said making me blush Blake haven't really spoken to me after my incident. She came into my room _once_ asked Velvet if I was dying, after hearing I was not she asked me if I needed anything I said no and she nodded and left… not exactly what I would call proper lover care but maybe she was a bit _odd?_

"I… I'll keep that in mind!" I said wincing once as Yang smirked at me.  
"What's wrong love boy _trouble in paradise?_ Kitty got _claws?"_

"I… it's complicated."  
"Well let's make it _uncomplicated!_ How about over a pint?"  
"In the middle of the day?"  
"Hey, that's the best time to drink! Just ask my uncle!"  
"I don't know…"  
"Trust me! I know a great spot you are going to _love_ it!"

/ / /

The next few weeks were a _blur_ to me. Life came and went fast in Beacon, the guild was getting along better well better was a _strong_ word. Blake and Weiss still looked ready to slit the other's throat or incinerate the other respectively but they had kept things civil.

Blake and I had gone on a date! If you can call walking around campus saying less than two hundred words I counted to each other a date that is! Normally I would have been pissed off at this but Blake was just so _charming!_

And I meant the bluntest way possible she was _charming_ me. The Amulet of Revelation showed as much. Whenever Blake spoke to me her eyes glow pink and she cast a _charm_ a spell that checked her Charisma versus mine. As it turned out after some research from Roman that the charm spell was a spell unique to _Assassins, Mages_ and those that needed to use their words more than their fists.

Blake was _charming_ me one part to keep my passive the other to make me make her weapons. Now being used like this _should_ have made me furious but I was conflicted on one hand I did _not_ like being used on the other? It was not _so_ bad. I knew that Blake might not be comfortable without relationship yet and I was determined to change her! I knew that I could even if Roman and Neo looked less _sure_ of my success.

Roman told me to look for greener pastures and Neo just made a choking sound by strangling her neck. I knew I could change Blake and I would! I just needed time and to find out what the hell this meant!?

"What are you doing?" I asked as I walked in the lone Beacon halls, it was my free time the one time when I did not have a class and my guild did. I was looking at my compass that despite my _best_ efforts had not been able to understand. After my encounter with the _Crawler_ that was the abominations name really, I had been sure that my compass must point me towards powerful Grimm!

But after some time and _many_ leveling with Coco I was no convinced this thing was just broken. Time and time we went into the forest and while it _did_ occasionally lock onto something it normally just spun around and around not stopping. Even when we were surrounded by Grimm it spun not caring for our circumstances making me sigh.

"At least I have you," I said looked at my shield the item was now more _decorated._ When I showed Coco my plain silver shield she almost passed out something about me having no fashion sense?

Anyways soon after she took me to her _personal_ forge where her Guilds head Blacksmith worked. He was out that day on an errand so I got to use the forge and with some guidance, I added some color to my shield. Now instead of a blank silver, it had twin golden crescent moons on it along with a nice trim on the side that and the rune of Constitution on it helped out my stats had ballooned up in the past few weeks now that I was at level twenty-seven I was _much_ stronger than before. My new stats with buffs were already leaps and bounds better. A grin split my face as I pulled them up.

 **Stats**

 **Name Jaune Arc**

 **Level 27**

 **Health 225/225**

 **Strength 49 +8 Rune**

 **Charisma 8**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Perception 20+2**

 **Constitution 55 + 20 Runes and trinket**

 **Dexterity 15+1**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Wisdom 9**

 **Lien 2,121**

 **MP NA**

Already I was feeling the effects of the _power_ of leveling up. I was stronger fitter and had even gained new skills! Like my passive _Grit_ hand turned into _Guts!_ Now I could ignore most non-debilitating attacks without taking any pressure to my stance, and I was not sticking much harder! _Obscurus_ scaled to Strength, both Ruby and Yang confirmed as much and now my Strength multiple to my weapon was .75! So it was dealing normal damage times .75 of my total strength per hit! A skill that had allowed me to achieve my first arena victory against Sky!

I was thrilled when it happened! The fight was to the wire and I thought I was lost twice! But my constitution held out and a lucky shot or two landed me my first win! Sky was a good sport about it all of CRDL or Cardinal were. They cheered me just as loud as my own guild and now even Aunt Glynda seemed more comfortable with me being here!

But as good as things were I still had problems. For one I had just hit the _skill_ ceiling as Roman called it. At a certain point, all leveling _evens_ out. Min was at twenty-seven. While I used to level up in leaps and bounds now? I only got _seven_ points per level up to be disturbed through all my stats that was seven points for seven stats.

That meant that at worst it could be one point per stat but that was too good it be true, my stats now creaked up in level most of the stats went to Strength and constitution what was left went to Perception than dexterity leaving the other ranks to stagnate.

"Not ideal." I hissed I needed to find a way to up my other stats, so far I could _tell_ if I was being hexed but Velvet warned me if the person had a high enough skill I would not _care_. I could only fight back against low-level hexes and I was reporting to her on a weekly basis to remove a _bevy_ of new ones that had been applied to me without my knowledge over the days.

"How the hell do you work?" I asked the compass as-

"How the hell does _what_ work Mister Arc?" A smooth voice said as I turned around to see the headmaster standing behind me drinking a mug of steaming liquid, his storm cloud eyes locked onto me as I gasped.

"Sir!"

"Jaune didn't I say to call me Ozpin?"  
"But that's in private sir!"  
"I don't see anyone around do you?" The man asked a youthful smile on his lips as I blushed a bit.

"I'm sorry sir!"  
"Jaune you need to relax, you are too young to be this nervous especially when you are among friends."  
"I! I'm sorry."  
"Do not think about it now tell me what does not seem to be working?"  
"Ah! It's my compass!"  
"Really? Your compass is not working let me take a look at it." The Warlock said as I pulled out my compass and _froze_. The needle had stopped spinning, it was no longer rapidly blurring not now, now the needle was _frozen_ pointing dead at Ozpin. My mouth fell open a bit as the needle stood ramrod straight-

"Mister Arc? Is something the matter?" Ozpin asked as my mind whirled, the last time the compass had stopped spinning like that was when I had to fight the _creature_ besides that it had spun like mad stopping briefly but always continuing back.  
"I… I no sir… here you go." I said hanging Ozpin the compass as soon as he took it he frowned, I saw the needle instantly began to spin again circling wildly as Ozpin sighed.  
"How peculiar. What seems to be your issue?" Ozpin asked looking at the small device staring at it from the bottom before gasping.

"I seem to have found the problem Mister Arc."  
"Really!?"  
"Yes, it looks like your object is _cursed."_

"Cursed!?"

"Yes, I am afraid I know the markings on the bottom of it."  
"Markings? What markings? I've never seen any!"  
"I would not be surprised at that, someone like _you_ could not read them."  
"Someone like me?"  
"Mister Arc do you know what class I am?" The Warlock asked as I paused.  
"You are a Warlock, sir."  
"Yes and as a Warlock do you know what I do?"  
"No…"  
"I make deals with _demons_ Mister Arc, I trade with them for power and knowledge and I know that the symbols on the bottom of this box are _demonic_ in origin."  
"What does that mean?!"

"It means that whoever made this compass did not do so on our plane of existence, that is _demonic script_ meaning it was made somewhere else _entirely."_

"I… how do you stop the curse?"  
"Well you would need to first know what the words are a rudimentary look can only tell me so much but let me try," Ozpin said waving his cane before the box the tip glowed green as he hissed.

" _Levnicarm, Devino."_ He hissed as the cane glowed green the box _hummed_ several red letters began to glow and fall off the box, the odd script seems foreign to my eyes I did not know the language and the squiggles _hurt_ to look at but still I seemed to know what they said.

It was strange awkward, the letters looked plain _wrong_ they hurt my eyes to look like and I felt my skin crawl like a thousand insects were on it just by staring. As I looked at them they began to form into a word? Some-

"Tell me Mister Arc, what do you see? What do the letters say to you?" Ozpin asked a hint of curiosity and exception in his voice as I gulped. I stared at the letters as the shifted they never stayed the same shape for long they twisted and molted like living squirming things before-

 **Lasem.** The words spelled out what looked to be a name?  
" _Lasem?_ Sir, what does that mean?"  
"I do not know Mister Arc but it sounds like a demonic name."  
"A demon's name?"  
"Yes, Mister Arc, demons but great value on their true names knowing that can allow you to fully control one."  
"Is… is this a true name?"  
"I do not know."  
"How can we know?"  
"Simple we ask a demon."  
"How can we do that?" I asked Ozpin cracked a wide toothy smile once again showing off his row after row of perfect white teeth as he let out his grin.

"Simple we _ask_ one," Ozpin said his tone set a wave of ice down my back as I shuddered involuntarily feeling like was dipped in ice water in a bath.

"But how sir? Where will you ask one?"  
"Well I know where I will but what about you?"  
"Me?"  
"Yes don't you want to ask one yourself?"  
"What?! How!?"  
"Simple Jaune as a Warlock I make deals with demons and I often _trap_ them."  
"Trap them? What does that mean?"  
"Well, it means I have one question for you Jaune would you like to meet a _demon?_ "

* * *

 **AN: OK! Another day another part of Brave Sir Robinson! This time Jaune is back in the Hero game! Had a moment with Yang! learned about a little thing called _multiclassing._ He got some buffs learned about his world and went on one _helluva_ walk in the woods! His ass was almost grass but he pulled through. He has a _lot_ of work to do but with some help from your average Warlock and after some _talks_ with Beacons resident Demon? Well, I'm sure he will be just _fine..._**

 ** _Ps_. Just so I can clear this up Jaune is not _stupid,_ his Intelligence is not _that_ below average but! There are many people _especially_ in Beacon with intelligence over thirty or just stats over thirty. And if they try to hex of influence him with a skill that checks their skill versus his and his skill is _below_ thirty they will automatically win and get what thier desired effects were from him. Velvet is _cleaning_ him of the worst hexes every week but it is not sure fire so there! I hope that makes things a bit more clear? Well until next time! I got something a bit _different_ coming out next so stay tuned and until then? Stats.**

* * *

 **Stats**

 **Name Jaune Arc**

 **Level 27**

 **Health 225/225**

 **Strength 49 +8 Rune**

 **Charisma 8**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Perception 20+2**

 **Constitution 55 + 20 Runes and trinket**

 **Dexterity 15+1**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Wisdom 9**

 **Lien 2,121**

 **MP NA**

 **Skills.**

 ** _Stroke the fire._ Creates heat to conduct Black Smithing warning only your hands are immune to said heat.**

 ** _Armorsmithing level four._ You can create armor for almost all people once you have the material.**

 ** _Rune smithing._ You can mow create moderate Runes of any type.**

 ** _Blunt force._ Your attacks with strength based weapons will now scale up to .75**

 **Common spells.**

 ** _Passive Guts._ Ignores all but _debilitating_ attacks to your person.**

 ** _Passive Hardy._ Most poisons are less effective, you get sick fare less often and you will take a small amount of reduced damage from all attacks.**

 **Items.**

 **Amule of Revelation. Informs you when you are being hexed, cursed or charmed. Does _not_ stop said abilities but will lessen effects.**

 **Compass. A cursed compass that seems to point to nowhere in particular.**

 **Charm of Constituion plus five Constituion**


	6. Friend like me

**AN: Ok! A new day a new Brave Sir Robinson! In this one, Jaune meet's a _demon_. Ozpin shows off his strength. We get to see exactly what happens when you make _friends_ with _beings_ from other planes of existence and Jaune and Ruby find something _special._**

* * *

Today was what I would call a _good_ day, nothing tried to kill me or nothing more than what always tried to. I got in and out of all my classes without being bothered for being a Partisan and best of all! Blake was letting me hold her hands! I felt my fingers lace around those of my girlfriends as she and I sat side by side in the guild hall.

 _So soft! She's so soft and warm!_ I thought smiling ear to ear, Blake almost never let me hold her hands she was shy so this was a big deal for me! Even if she barely looked at me and would only really hold my hands if I begged… Which I did not do today! Or so I hope that I did not do that.

"Jaune! Did you look at my scythe!?" Ruby called out making Blake wince the cat faunus lover of mine was still not used to being with other people, she was a solo hero _not_ a villain I hated that word more than Peasant right now. She did not do well with constant loud noises like yelling, cursing, arguing and downright chaos that came from having a guild hall full of teens.

"Yeah! I did you should be good to go!" I shouted back as Blake paused stopping her reading to stare at me.

"Do you _really_ have time to do that?"  
"Do what?"  
"Fix her weapon you need to focus on your own armaments and that of the wider guild, do you need to put so much effort into Ruby?"  
"Need to? No, not at all. Do I want to? Yes, Ruby is my friend and I'm more than happy to help you. You are my girlfriend and I am more than happy to help you as well."  
"While I do appreciate the thought please look out for yourself more. You almost died last week." Blake said going back to her book leaning back into the least moldy part of the couch. We needed new furniture badly none of us had any skills related to upholstery and Velvet did not know who to find or pay.

If I got my skills to have a sewing rune than that would be nice but I highly doubted that it and I did not think I had the time to go the distance to do that and I needed to find an NPC that knew how to do it or else our few remaining pieces would collapse under our daily wight!

"So what are you doing today?" I asked hoping that Blake might say spending time with you.  
"I have to run some errands in town stay here until I get back."  
My ego popped like a dummy with its strings cut.

"Yes, ma'am."  
"Doesn't sound too happy. Speaking of that what the hell did you have to talk to Ozpin about?" Blake asked I paused as a memory came to the surface of my head. …

/ / /

"Sir? Did you just say what I think you said?" I asked not sure that I had heard right.  
 _Demon? Did he say a demon!? How could a demon be in Beacon?_ I thought as Ozpin nodded.  
"You did hear me right Jaune. I did say that I know of a demon that you could talk to she might help you with your little compass issue." Ozpin said flashing me a smile as I gulped once.

"Sir I have never talked to a demon before how do you know that this will work out?"

"I should hope that you have _not_ talked to a demon! Jaune demons are evil things that need to be controlled or expunged! The one I had is _barely_ under my control but it is. Now let me show you what a monster from another world really looks like and let me show you how the best ways for us to learn how to defeat one and use its own power against it!"

Ozpin said as I nodded following the man down a hallway as we went to go see a demon, the journey took us up the long byzantine staircases that lead us up to the top of the school where we ended up in front of his office.

"Let us see what we can do, open," Ozpin said as the door opened the massive wooden doors opening inward as we walked into the office.

 _So there is an enchantment._ I thought as I followed the man inside as I did I felt the small box in my hands Ozpin had gifted me my compass back and it was losing its mind. The needle seemed to be pointing so hard that it looked ready to fall off.

The lone needle with a red tip pointed so hard due north that it looked like it was going to fall off the actual compass. The needle was pointing so fervently that it _shook_ in its holder.

"Sir? You said we would be speaking to a demon?"

"Yes, yes I did," Ozpin said the wooden doors closed behind me as the old man sent to his desk.

"We will be speaking to-

Ozpin paused he looked down to his cane that started to glow a pale green light. The man narrowed his gazed at it as he let out a small sigh pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Mister Arc there is something that I must attend to. Please wait here I will be back in under twenty minutes.'

"Sir? Where are you going?"

"I have to speak with someone most likely your aunt but I will return soon please have some water while you wait," Ozpin said waving his cane a weapon that I could not see a level for a flash of purple smoke appeared as a tall glass pitcher of ice water and two cups materialized on his desk.

"Thank you, sir.' I said as I took the pitcher in one hand and poured.

 _I wish I could do magic, it would make my life so much easier."_

"As you were Jaune I will return." The man said walking away from me the subtle _tip, tap_ of his cane filled my ears as I was finally _alone_.

The man left me sitting in a large comfortable red pushed chair, not as comfy as Romans. "Well, I'm here for a bit," I mumbled taking a sip of water. The cool liquid felt great sliding down my throat as I sighed.

Ozpin's office was oddly cozy, a small fire was now burning behind his desk, the fireplace wavered in pearl marble arches that show off a large picture of some kind of _Sorcerer?_ With brown skin and hair with silver armor and a cane that looked suspiciously like Ozpin's.

Across the room were large bookshelves, stacked with rows upon rows of tomes.

 _Not like I can read them._ I thought sighing my Intelligence at 11 was nowhere near enough to read basic writing let alone whatever the hell those tomes contained.

"I would have liked to ready might have passed the time," I said sighing taking out my compass that looked ready to burst. The needled seemed to have a mind of its own pointing to one bookcase in particular.

"The hell are you looking at?" I thought as the needle seemed to be pulling me pointing so hard it _shook_.

"The hell do you want? It's just a bookcase." I asked the needle it paid me no mind not that it could it was _just_ a needle a cursed demonic needle but I still did not think that it could hear me.

 _I also didn't believe in demons until this morning so…_ I trailed off in my head before sighing.

"Ok, I'll let you have a look alright? If I do that will you calm down?" I asked the needle ignored me once again as I began to walk the nice rich red carpet of the office comforted my boots as I pushed on.

I found myself standing in front of a massive bookcase with books and tomes of all colors, Red, blue-green. All around for me with names I could not even _begin_ to pronounce or even read. The needle seemed aggravated pointing incessantly further and further down the middle shelf.

"The hell do you see? It's just a bookshelf." I asked as it finally seems to _jolt_ the needle jolted pointing me towards a single massive red tome. I paused the tome was thick, more so than my leg it was covered in rich crimson bookbinding and looked perfectly in place with all the others.

"This what you want? It's just a book." I said as I reach out a hand I felt the needle jerk in the comas it shook as if it was ready to be ripped apart in a desperate move to get to the targeted book. "It's just-

My gloved fingers brushed the book as it fell, the book fell towards me fall back a quarter of the way down as a loud _Kathunk!_ Was heard, I paused freezing as I hear the odd sound of gears turning?

"The hell was-

I screamed the floor went beneath me I dropped two feet down my boots sunk as the clanking of gears filled my brain. I gasped as the bookshelf turned spinning!? It spun open halfway rearranging itself showing a hallway? A long marble hallway that lead _deep_ into the what I assumed was a full wall lined with pure marble floors and ceiling awaited me.

"The hell?" I asked my heart hammering in my chest the needle was pointing me down the hallway as a myriad of emotions filled my head.

 _The hell is going on!? There is a secret hallway here!? Since when? Does Ozpin know? Of course, does he probably built it! Magic powers or that… but if he sees me here will he be pissed? Probably this is clearly a secret so I should just go back to my chair-_

I took a step forward, my legs did not listen to my brain. They began to move walking slowly then rapidly my heart _thudded_ in my chest!

I felt my limbs move against their will like I was being pulled somehow. I felt my body _try_ to fight back. My legs refused to listen. I just kept walking, soon I was past the entrance into the cool marble hallway the temperature drop was noticeable.

I felt myself _cool_ the air seemed to drop in heat and I felt a calm chill flood through me.

"Maybe I should go back?" I asked my legs had other ideas. They dragged me forward stubbornly making me walk step by single step fully against my will my mind _raged_ trying to get my legs to go back into the comfy room sit down and just wait!

But that did not happen instead I was now in an oddly lit hallway? There were several large ornate glass windows that streamed in sunlight a surprising thing as there was no way in the seven hells that the sun reached this far into the build and past the inner structure.

 _Must be some kind of magic._ I thought as I walked forward I turned a corner my legs followed the needle, the long shaped marble halls still as death watch me silently the windows that streamed in bright lite but allowed me to see nothing outside of them lit the path as I turned right, left, right, the I was down a final narrowly hallway that lead to a large open wooden door.

"In for a penny, in for a pound," I said already resigned to let whatever spell was acting on my feet run its course, the open wooden door lead me into a room out of my childhood dreams.

It was full to the _brink_ of weapons.

I saw weapons that I never knew existed in plies on the floor hung in rope on the walls or preserved in glass cases everything from wicked curved blades, that had runes on them that hurt _me_ to look at. All weapons were level four none of them level five but they were ancient.

Swords, hatchets, ax's, scimitars, polearms and armor of all types was encased in bright glass cases the floor was covered in a strange red rug the appeared to _breathe_ with my every step.

"I'm in a treasure trove," I said I was clearly in some kind of Beacon armory, walking past the rows of antiques and treasures I saw a shield half the size of my own body the color of pure blue like a clear stream, it was _covered_ in runes so small that I could not make them out but they glowed with power.

I took the time to _briefly_ copy a rune design on a piece of parchment Coco had lent me I messily scribbled the symbol down so Velvet could look at it later on.

 _Maybe she can tell me what it does?_ I thought as If allowed the needle ignoring every last treasure and item to find myself start at-

"A _lamp?"_ I was dumbfounded there in the middle of the room was a lamp? A small golden lamp sitting on a pile of gold coins was the centerpiece an odd item, to say the least, but the end was point dead ahead.

"The hell-

I paused my foot inches away from _it._ There surround the gold pieces were what looked to be a large ring of salt? That was the best guess I had the lamp on the pile of gold was surrounded by a ring of salt? For some reason.

"What the hell are you?" I asked taking my foot back unwilling to disturb the circle of perfectly spilled salt, whoever had put the salt down seemed to do it with needle-like precision as I looked down the compass was losing its mind pointing at the lam string so hard it was sure to break.

"Ok, ok calm down I can do this," I said as I reached forward not stepping into the circle but just enough to touch only a little _rub_ of the lamp would make-

 _FISHT!_ There was a loud hiss of air as the lamp suddenly came to life! Bright purple smoke shot out form the tip

"What the hell!?" I shouted backing off as the mist blurred out of the lamp a thick purple haze filled the air as I saw a shape appear. An oddly humanoid shape came out of the lamp the smoke revealed a _tall_ slender shape that had long flowing hair and-

" _Finally! Freedom!"_ A large bellowing feminine voice yelled as at once the mist vanished. In its place was a woman, she had skin the color of light wood, eyes that shone like sapphires bright and blue. Her air was a long silver color and she wore a loose fitting pink and purple outfit.

" _I'm FREE!"_ THe woman shouted floating in mid-air as I froze my jaw fell open as I gagged

"Who are you?"  
"Me? OH! I am your next best friend! And you are my _Master!"_

 _/ / /_

I froze my jaw must have almost hit the floor. The woman, the strange brown-skinned woman with hair like snow and eyes that burned like bright jewels. She wore a loose fitting purple top and bottoms.

She let her large arms stretch, out showing off an impressive chest that rivaled even Yang's she yawned loudly allowing her body to fully stretch out. She was tall at least seven feet and looked like she was a person who had never seen the light of day. She flashed me a bright smile her eyes sparkled like the surface of glistening lake as

"Thank you, _master!_ I owe you my life!" The person? I thought she was a person she _looked_ like a human. She had two arms, two legs, two eyes, a nose, breasts, fingers, and had the same amount of ears so not a faunus and-

' _Master?_ Did you just call me your master?" I asked the thing the person I was going to call it a person until I learned otherwise.

"Of course I did! You Jaune Arc are my _master!"_ The woman said bowing deeply as I gulped.

"What no _who_ are you?" I asked the mystery woman who was floating on a pink cloud.

"Me? Well, you can call me… _Knim!_ " The woman said bowing to me her smile so large I felt myself girn back.

"Hi… my name-

"Jaune Arc! I know your name silly! I always know the name of my _master!"_ Knim said bowing to me once again as her long flowing silver hair reached down to the tip of her salt circle.

"I.. why do you call me your master?"  
"Because you set me free! I have to call my master my _master!"_  
"I… what are you? Why are you here?"

"I am here to grant you wishes silly! I can give you _three_ wishes! What do you want?" The woman asked as it clicked. _A woman in a lamp? Three wishes!?_

"You are a genie!"

"I! You _can_ call me that!" She said bowing a wave of green energy flashed behind her eyes as she bowed.

"You grant wishes!"

"I have some rules! I can't kill anyone, I can't force someone to fall in or _out_ of love with you! I can not or I should not bring back the dead! I can not alter _the fundamental_ rules of the world! And I can not give you more wishes! But besides that? If you wish for any type of possession or _knowledge_ please just ask and I shall grant it to you! _For a reasonable fee."_ The genie mumbled the last part as I froze my back went stiff as a board as I began to sweat.

My mind _broke_. I let out a low laugh, subtle at first but building in intensity, soon I was laughing my ass off tears flowed from my face as Knim paused.

"Master? Are you ok?"

"Yes! I'm more than ok! Knim! You just gave me my life back!"

"I did?"

"Yes! I! Can I wish to be back to not being kidnapped!?"  
"I can do that!"  
"Can you make my family nobles!?"  
"Of course!"

"Can you annihilate Grimm?"

"I can _not!_ That is outside of my power! I can give you the ability to do so, however! I can give you weapons and such!"

"I…" I froze something in my mind paused my future was here, my way out of the hell hole! But I paused I don't know why but for some reason my mind began to turn. Wheels spun as I felt my hand raise.

"Master? You don't look so good, do you have another question?"  
"Knim… what happens when I use all my wishes?"  
"I go back into my lamp…" She said her eyes dulled a bit as I let a frown cross my face.

"Won't you go free? I mean if I use all the wishes you are free! Right?"  
"Not so much master. I grant your wishes but as much as I want to go free I have my limits I can not free my own self that must be done by outside sources." The genie said a small frown on her face.

"I… so you are a slave?"  
"That is a way to describe me. I am a slave to the whims of my master and when I have satisfied him I will go back into my lamp until a new master comes to use me. Why?"

I was going to be stupid.

 _Come on man! Don't do this!_ I thought as years of being an older and younger sibling poured into my veins. _You are not going out like this!_ I sighed once as wished I was not an Arc.

 _Don't!_ _An Arc never lies or leaves someone in need_.

"Knim do you like being a genie?"

"Do I like it? I don't have much of a choice master why ask?"

'I don't have a choice either you know? I was forced here against my will and made to serve others."  
"I know that! I know everything about you master!"

"I… I'm like you, you know?"  
"In the sense that we are both in places that we would rather not be and we both wish to be free from our current situations yes I understand that."

"And you know that-

"I know that you are going to try to free my master. It is _not_ impossible to free a genie but it is incredibly difficult. I do not suggest you attempt.'

"I wish for you to tell me how to free you."  
"Very well, the simplest way is to make a Rune. There is a Rune that if you place on your sword and strike the barrier around me I will be free if! I have answered your other wishes."

'Ok, but why do I need to strike you free? What's the barrier?"  
"Oh! It's meant to keep out _impurities_ it won't let me past it even if I did answer all your wishes."

'I see…May I wish for higher stats?" The easiest question ever the answer was yes-

"You may but I do not suggest it."

"What? Why not?"

"Simple. I have been alive for _untold_ millennia. Master, I will give you this warning once there are things in life that you should have gifted and there are things you need to _earn_. In all of my time, not a single person who was ever used my service to increase their status or level has ever died how they would put it _happily_. They all died in such a way that left them cursing my name and their own for the foolishness."

"There are rules in this world that not even I can break. I will grant you that wish but please listen to me. You _must_ level naturally it is in no one's best interest if you do it otherwise." The woman said I felt a pang of guilt in me.

 _Is that so? That seemed like the easy solution…_

"I see… well, you are a genie-

"You can _call_ me that," Knim said as I felt an odd feeling of disquiet enter my head, I looked the women up and down as I felt like I was being misled.

"Knim can you say that again?"  
"Say what my _master?"_ she asked her voice was pure and innocent but I felt the hairs rise on my arms.

"You said that I can _call_ you a genie? Are you a genie?"

"You can _call_ me a genie."  
"That is not what I am asking you. I am asking you _are_ you a genie?"  
"Are you a human?"  
"What?"  
"Are you a human? Are you an Anselite? What you are is of _no_ issue. A genie grants you three wishes and I grant you three wishes, therefore, I am a genie."  
"No… that's not how it works what are you?"  
"I am a _slave_ like you and I wish to be out."  
"I… Can I help you honestly? Without being misled and tricked by you?" As I spoke I felt the _burn_ of my side my amulet of perception was burning, I was being tricked!

"Ok! Ok! _Master!_ I don't think realize what you got here! Let me take you on a journey and let me show you what I can do for you!" Knim said snapping her fingers as I gasped pink smoke filled the room as the world was blurred out like a smudged drawing of a child.

"Knim!? What are you doing!?"  
"Oh, you will see just sit back and ruminate while I illuminate the possibilities!" Knim sang as she let her world blur I gave a scream! My legs fell the floor under me vanished like it had never been there, my legs kicked my feet felt nothing as I let out a scream as I fell…

"Knim!?" I shouted I fell out of nowhere, where there had once been a floor now was nothing, a blank void of nothing, a dark sea of nothing as I was dropped feet first.

"Knim!? _HELP!"_ I shouted as-

 _"Oof!_ " I crashed into something soft and cushiony? I had fallen on a massive cushion the color of fresh blood, it had golden stitches on it as-

"Now you are the little guy, everyone around you is the big bad guy!" A booming voice shouted my ears went deaf as a voice that sounded like it could crack open mountains spoke to me. I looked up in was Knim!? But she was massive! I was in a cushion on her hand barely holding onto it as I screamed.

"Knim!? What's happening!?"

"I'm helping you, master! Now listen to me!" Knim said a flash of purple said as a puff of smoke appeared in front of him. Another version of Knim this one human-sized not gigantic appeared bowing to him as she waved her hand.

A swirling vortex of black and white appeared in it as I felt like my skin was being burned.

"You see until now you were nothing! A no one but with me? You can be big! As long as you are with me life is a restaurant! And I'm your matradee! Now whisper in my ear and tell me what can I do for you!"

"Nothing! I want to free you from being a slave and I want to get back to my family!"

"Master think about it! I can grant you any worldly desire! Any material object can be yours! I can give you money, meat flesh!" The genie said as I was all at once surrounded by a literal _lake_ of gold cones. All around me were dishes and platters of the most succulent meats prepared just how I would have asked. The aroma alone made my mouth water my stomach growled in need.  
"I… why are you doing this?"

"Do not worry master! I am in a mood to help you, _dude!_ Just let yourself relax!"

 _Women_. I thought as I was suddenly surrounded by women of almost every shape and size of very skin color i knew existed and some I did not think possible were around me scantily clan if flimsy red robes that barely counted as clothing they were _impossibly_ beautiful their bodies curved and swayed in such a way that should not have even been remotely feasible and-

"Think of this master! I can give you all you would ever desire, I just need your _soul-_

"No! I shouted this illusion was on I would never give up my soul for anything! All at once it was gone the illusion spell was lifted I was suddenly back standing in the strange room surrounded by treasure as the thing rolled her own blue eyes towards me.

"Jaune. You are not seeing the big picture-

"What are you? You claim to be a slave but you are strong enough to trick me. You _want_ me to use you for wishes but if you are so powerful why not break your own rules? Why do you even have rules in the first place!? And why do you want my _soul!?"_

"Because she is fooling you." A cool voice came from behind me, Ozpin stood smiling ear to ear a wide grin on his face as I froze.

"Ozpin! Sir, I did it-

"Fear not Jaune you _pass_."  
"Pass?"  
"Yes, you think I would just leave you in my office alone? Even if you _are_ a Partisan that is a blatant breach of security."

"What do you want from me _old man?"_ Knim hissed as Ozpin grinned.

"Why hello there! How is my favorite captive doing?"  
"Sir? Is she a genie?"  
"Genie? Dear lord no Jaune! She is a demon! Specifically, she is _my_ demon…

/ / /

"She's a demon?" I gasped Ozpin nodded as she grinned an evil smirk.

"She is _my_ demon Jaune. I am a Warlock I make deals with demons in turn for power and knowledge. I make deals and every now and then-

"You are a damned dirty backstabber is what you are! Listen to me Jaune that man is not to be rusted! Following him is a fool's errand! And will lead you to your death, sooner rather than later!" Knim hissed her eyes glowed a bright purple fire flew out from them as I jumped back in fear.

 _"Sir!"_  
"Do not fear she is quite harmless right now in her current state she could not hurt a fly unless you _broke_ the line of salt. If you did that then _we_ would be in serious trouble." Ozpin said smiling at the demon as she rolled her eyes.

"What do you want Ozpin? Are you going to let me go?"  
"Why would I do that? You are such a good source of _information_."  
"Information?"  
"She is a demon under my control Jaune. She does what I say she might be a bit _uncooperative_ but she is _mine_. Whenever I have a problem that I need an answer to but cannot find I come to her for information and she might be a bit uncooperative at first I get what I want in the end, I _always_ do." Ozpin said as Knim rolled her eyes.

"Spit it out mortal, tell me what you wish to know."

"Fine. Jaune your compass?"  
"Oh! Here you go!" I said giving to Ozpin as he smiled.

"Tell us what this is." Ozpin handed her the box she growled showing off her perfect white teeth snatching the box looking it up and down before a _curious_ look came over her face.

"I… where did you get this mortal?"  
"Jaune finding it is of no issue of yours."  
"Yes, it is… this thing is demonically forged."  
"I suspected as much tell us which demon made it, and what cursed materials are in it so I can neutralize it."

"I… this isn't right," Knim said looking at the box she levitated it in mid-air her blue eyes looking it up and down as she frowned.

"Knim?" I asked as she shook her head.

"This… this shouldn't be possible."  
"What should not be possible? Do not keep things from us demon."

"Listen to me! This thing was created in my realm, specifically the twelfth plane of torment." The creature said as if it were common knowledge and not some infernal hellscape that no one in their right mind-

"I know the plain well I traversed a few times in my youth." Maybe it was common knowledge.

" _Youth_ is a relative term, not every mortal had a disposable suit of armor Ozpin."

"What does that mean?"  
"Nothing Jaune, what is the box made of?"

"It… it's made of materials from your world…"  
"That's good?" I asked quietly hoping for good news but both Ozpin _and_ the demon frowned. Both looked like they had heard very bad news and the were frowning.

 _That's not good…_

"That is… _unusual…"_  
"I'll say, this should not even be possible!"  
"Why not?"  
"Simple mortal, this box was _forged_ in my realm but it was created with materials made on this plane. That is very unlikely."  
"But why?"

"Think of it like this when crafting you need materials correct? The better the metal the better the blade. With better materials, you are able to process and make your weapons correct?"  
"Yes? Why?"  
"Think of it like this, if you were making a blade and you had a choice of pure metal, iron steel, taken and purified from its natural form to craft, truly top of the line materials to forge, would you pick that or would you pick the half off cheap fused materials of dingy quality and made with a mixture of zinc, copper, and bronze?"

"I would pick the pure ones, why?"  
"The same rules apply here. This compass was made from your worlds materials which are _vastly_ inferior to my one, it was like purposefully using the lesser quality goods.'  
"Maybe it was convenient? I mean weaker metal is cheaper?"  
"Mister Arc you do not understand the _severity_ of her claims. To bring a demon to this plan cost a tremendous amount of energy on both the demon and the summoner's to keep them here even more. To go through the effort of this only to gather materials of considerable lesser quality to transfer back to their realm is not only a massive waste of time but incredibly risky to demon and humans."  
"How?"  
"The world of the demons does not work like our own. To _exist_ in their world is almost impossible for materials for our world to be gathered, taken, transported them taken enough to forge something using techniques that should have _disassembled_ anything from our world… well, it's not just insanely inefficient it borders on _ludicrous."_

"The old man is right, the payoff does not make it worth. Whoever or whatever the hell made this put in an awful lot of work for…." The thing's eyes flashed a brief shade of purple as she glared at the compass.

"Oh my…"  
"What did you say demon?"

"I don't know… whatever demon made this was powerful but this device… it only works on NPC's or Partisans?"  
"What does it do?"  
"I… I _think_ it points you towards your fate?"  
"What does that mean?"

"I don't know the thing was made by something more powerful than me so I don't know!" Knim said tossing the box back to me. I caught it as Ozpin sighed.

"Is that all?"  
"All I will say."  
"Fine. Come Jaune we are leaving."  
"Um! Yes, sir! But what about her?"

"She is fine Jaune as long as you do _not_ break the salt line she cannot harm you nor anyone else."

"Bye Jaune! _Don't_ die! I mean I know you don't want it but I've _seen_ what happens to your kind it's not pretty! And remember! You _cannot_ trust Ozpin!" The thing said laugh loudly as Ozpin walk me back….

/ / /

"Sir…"  
"Do not worry Jaune demons like and trick, she knows _exactly_ what the box does but is trying to mislead us," Ozpin said after walking me back to his office closing the bookcase as I sighed.

"Sir why did you let me even go to her?"  
"Simple, demonic objects are a real threat in the fields. Be they demonic weapons, armor or runes. And anyone with the ability to be near a demon or be in the presence of a demonically cursed object and keep their sanity is _interesting_ , to say the least."  
"There are demonic runes?"  
"More than you know, not _all_ Partisans are good people those that turn against the system often dabble in the arcane arts for their own _selfish_ gain and wreak havoc."

"Sir why do you keep her? What if she misleads you?"  
"Jaune she is a _demon._ She cannot lie to us, she can trick, mislead and try to cast astray but she can never outright lie to you."  
"So she _can't_ lie?"

"No. She will only speak the truth, she might not answer you but if you force her to a yes or no question then she will always speak the truth."  
"I see… and the compass?"

"Keep it, you proved able to resist her influence that means that you have a natural immunity to it. Keep the compass and observe it, for now until then? Have a good day…'

/ / /

"Night!"  
"Goodnight Jaune," Blake said bowing slipping into her room as I sighed.

"Night Jaune!"  
"Night Ruby!"

"Goodnight!"  
"Goodnight Nora!" I said slipping back into my room. I took several quick breaths counting the time. _One, two, three…_ I counted to sixty, I waited till I saw all the lights leave the hall Velvet took them down at once.

"Goodnight Jaune."  
"Night Velvet!" I said as the rabbit house keep waked away her footsteps falling as I took a deep breath. I went to my bed taking out a small piece of metal I took from the brief visit to the Beacon forges. As I took it out I inhaled sharply making my decision in a second, I drew a painful glyph on it, the glyph glowed purple as I felt my eyes wince.

" _Jaune?"_ A voice hissed out from the small piece of metal a clear and feminine voice that made me gulp.

"Knim," I said the glyph glowed a deep rich purple as I heard the demon's voice speak into my ear.  
"Knim can you hear me?" I hissed as I heard a chuckle on the other side.

" _Sure can mortal, glad that you can hear! Now that we can talk let's get this show on the road!"_ Knim spoke in my ears as I prepared to do something that I did not want to do. Talking to a demon was _never_ a good idea. I knew this but after I spoke with Knim I had been given a glyph… I did not know how I knew but I _knew_. Like it was ingrained into my very mind…

I knew how to make the glyph as I knew how to move my legs or breathe! I just knew...

 _"Ok, Jaune! Tell me what you want to know!"_ The demon said her voice slithered down my ear and I knew that this was a desperate time. Knim might have been a demon but she told me something… before Ozpin came… she told me something that I could not shake off…

 _Ozpin was not to be trusted…_

" _I know you have questions!"_ Her voice fell on me, clawing down onto my back. Her singsong voice fell on me like warm rain. The demon spoke again as I gulped.

"Tell me… what does Ozpin want from me?" I asked as Knim sighed.

" _That's a good question, and one I know an answer! You see Jaune do you know what a Warlock is? What that class really is?"_  
"They are like Wizards right?"  
" _They are like Wizards in the same way a Knight is like a Duelist. They both use magic but they are nothing alike. Wizards use aura to make magic happen. Warlocks use us to make it work. Every Warlock at a young age makes a deal with a demon. They make a contract."_ Knim said her voice low but clear I felt a small wave of fear fall over me sweat dripped down over my body. I knew this was a mistake, I knew that talking to a demon was a bad idea but I needed help.

"Tell me what deal did he make?'

" _He made a deal with me… he wanted power lot's and lot's of power."_

"Is that so bad?"  
" _Not at all. Mortals all ask for power Warlocks were no different. But most of them know better than to ask for too much at once. Warlocks all want power Ozpin wanted it all, and he wanted it right now. Not in increments, not like a regular one he wanted all of it all at once."_ Her voice was laced with anger, rage and a hint of admiration.

"I.. how did you meet him?"  
" _I was the unfortunate demon to be his contractor. After he made his deal he went back on his word…"_ Knim said her voice felt like daggers in my skin. She hissed through the glyph as I gulped.

"He broke his word?"  
" _Yes, our relationship with Warlocks is one of give and take, we give them powers and in return, they give us things in return. Usually years of their lives, sometimes years of other people's lives, sometimes we want certain actions done or rituals competed. It is a give and take relationship. Either the Warlock is smart and they live out the rest of their lives in balance with their demon or they are greedy asking for too much and pay the price for it usually with their own soul."_

"And Ozpin?"  
 _"That… as much as I detest him it is my fault. He offered me far too much, not only his soul but many others. I was young, I was not used to mortals being so clever… I gave him a great amount of my own power and when I came for my price he locked me in that lamp behind that circle of purified salt."_

"So… you are a slave?"  
" _I am not a slave mortal!"_ Knim hissed in my ears I felt her power flow in me as I whimpered.

"I'm sorry!"

" _It's fine but I am no one's slave, Ozpin thinks of me as one but I will be free. You wished to know how to free a genie? Well, it's the same for one of my kind. Jaune I want to make a deal with you."_ Knin said her voice felt like talons falling down my spine, a wave of jagged teeth fell down my back as I gulped.

"A deal?"  
" _Yes. I want you to free me from my prison."_

"Why would I ever free a demon?!"

" _You are already talking to me, why not work with me?"_  
"I'm talking to you because you said I can not trust Ozpin! And I feel like I can't!"

" _Well that is true you can not trust him."_

"Why? What's the problem?"

" _Simple. He imprisoned me when I was weak, he used me. He went back on his word. Ozpin uses people if he is willing to use someone like me? A being of a higher existence? What will he do to you? He sees you as a tool and if you think even for a second! That you will be free to live a quiet life after you graduate if you graduate? You are gravely mistaken. Ozpin sees you as a tool and will treat you like a slave."_

"But he said he would let me visit his family! He wants to work with me!" I whispered as the demon sighed.

" _He does not want to work with you he is using you! Listen that box you have? Do you know what t really is? Ozpin knows what it is but he's keeping it from you."_  
"I.. that's not true…."  
" _Oh it is, I know what the hell that thing is, that needle will always point you to where you need to go."_

"The hell does that mean?"  
" _It means that the compass will always show you where you need to go. It points you where you need to be."_

"But! It pointed me to a giant Grimm in the forest! Why did it do that!?"

" _Hell if I know, it reads you personally, the thing is custom built for mortals. It was made by a very powerful demon to guide mortals to their destiny. Why else does it have mortal materials?"_

"What the hell? What does that mean?"

" _It means that as long as you hold it the compass will always show you where you should be heading. Why you should be heading there is unknown. I'd have to be you to answer that question. If you want to know more about it ask yourself where do you want to go?"_

"I want to go home… and be with my family again…"

" _Well, then it should be taking you down the path that will lead you there assuming that you do want to go there."_

 _"Assuming?"_

 _'The mortal heart is a fickle thing sometimes what you think you want is not what you really want. The only thing I know for sure is that it will only take the most direct path for you whether that is the safest path? That is up for debate."_  
"I… What do you want from me? Be honest."

" _I want to be free. I gave you the knowledge for a glyph that can break a demonic seal with the knowledge I implanted in you to make this glyph that allows us to speak I want you to break mine and set me free."_

"Why the hell would I do that? What can you do for me?"

" _I can do a lot for you but for now let's make this simple. I will answer any question you have no matter what it is. I know more than any creature I can tell you how to make runes, what type of Grimm exist."_

"I… that's useful but not enough for me to let a demon out!"

" _Listen to me Jaune, Ozpin is not your friend. He is your enemy masquerading as your friend!"_

"Then what the hell do you think I can do? If I let you go what happens!?"  
" _Nothing. I don't do anything, I go home and I take Ozpin out of your hair."_

"What? You… you will leave?"

" _Hell yeah! I don't want to stay here Jaune, I do not belong here! I belong in my own realm Ozpin is forcing me to stay here! If you can break me free of my circle I will get the hell out of here and kill that bastard!"_

"I… I don't know if I want him to die…"

" _Jaune listen to me, I know this will sound crazy but listen Ozpin is crafty. He is powerful and wise beyond your own belief! He has put certain restrictions on me so I can not do certain actions I cannot reveal somethings to you but what I can do is this. I can not lie to you, even Ozpin admitted this. If you stay with Ozpin he has a goal. A very old goal that is almost as old as him. He requires you people like you to do it if he does it? You and everyone like you will be dead!"_

"What?! Why!?"

" _I can't say, his spell is still in effect. But know this Jaune Arc if you work with Ozpin the only way out is your death. You will be dead on the earth before you can blink! I… I can't stay much longer."_

"What!? Why not!?"

" _His spell is still affecting me but know this do not listen to him if you truly desire your way home follow the compass."_

"How do you know you are telling the truth!?"

" _I can not lie, Ozpin told you that himself, free me and I go away you will never see of me again unless I am summoned. I have no quarrel with you or yours, but know this if you trust Ozpin? Your own life if forfeit forever more…"_

"Wait! Knim! Why? Why do you need me?"

" _You came to me, that compass brought you to me so we obviously have a connection, I want us to be friends Jaune like I said in the room I'm in a mood to help you dude and trust me. You have never had a friend like me."_

 _/ / /_

" _There,"_ I said the heat of my passive filled my hands as I finished my own armor set. I had been dealing with the ramifications of Knim's warning for over a week and so far I was stuck.

" _Burn,"_ I said as I finished my helmet, none of the other Guildmates of mine wanted a helmet but I did. I needed something to keep me safe and as such had forged an entire suit of armor. Or I was trying to. So far my _Metallurgy_ skill a new one that I had learned was proving troublesome to master s I sighed. The concept of Ozpin betraying me was not settling well with me.

 _No, he's not betraying you, he's using you. You are a tool to him and why would he not use his perfect tools? The only reason to stop tool use is if it becomes useless to you…_

"And if I am?" I shuddered I had to shake these thoughts out of my head, today was a big day for the guild and me. Today was the day that Glynda would be meeting with us for our annual quest, normally the whole guild would have to put in a vote but due to some rather unknown business laws and well Weiss wanting to save some Lien, she made _me_ the leader of our guild.

Not because I earned it but very guild needed to pay a _Hero tax_ a decent stipend of loot a moth. A portion of all our guild funds that we gathered from dungeons and such was to be paid to the school Now normally this tax was for all guilds without exception but Weiss being… _Weiss_ had managed to make it so that _I_ was now the guild leader.

The law said all _Heroes_ need to pay the tax an NPC was immune from this law, and seeing how I was neither a Hero or NPC I fit into the later class and as such we kept full profits from all dungeon raids or we would if we went on any. After my incident in the forest Weiss had been on me like a hammer to a sword or Ruby on a plate of sweets. Rarely letting me out of her sight and even when she could not be by my side Blake had taken watch of me.

"At least _that_ has gotten better," I said with a low smile it was true me and Blake had grown _closer_ over the last week. She would now _ask_ me to hold my hand in public and she even laid her head on mine once on the guild couches! I knew that it did not seem like much but to me, it means the world!

"Jaune." Blake's voice came from the other side of the door she rarely knocked.

"Yes, babe?" I asked trying to use a more affectionate name in the hopes that she might reply in kind.

"We need to go, class is starting and we gave Grimm anatomy."  
I shuddered that meant class with _Port…_ A jolly Warrior but a massive talker I sighed knowing that I would at least catch some sleep and maybe focus on runes? Velvet had given me access to all her runes that she deemed save which was all of the main stats from Strength, Perception, Charisma, Dexterity, Intelligence, Constitution and Wisdom. I could now make minor runes in all of them hence my new armor.

Better armor allowed more rune slots, my Armor smithing skill a new one I had unblocked was a level four. I didn't know my skills had levels but I was glad mine seemed high? If weapon rank was anything to go by that was near max or closed to half!

"Coming!" I said opening the door to a pair of shimmering amber eyes, I gulped Blake was still just as beautiful as I remembered. Her perfect round oval face greeted me skin as pale as milk and twin black cat ears that popped out of her head.

She had placed her soothing purple hood she often wore down a sigh of trust in my opinion, with her hood down her long hair flowed back down past her waist. She still wore a form-fitting blue top and pants that she had purchased last week. The outfit seemed to be a one piece of teal with her knives all level three and glittering on her side. To be fair the knives were not her real weapon her _actual_ weapon was a strange sword whip hybrid that she often refused to use in combat preferring the knives.

"Are you ready?" She asked blinking once those pools of gold that I swore I could get lost in made me blush.

"Yeah, I'm ready," I said stepping out of my room dressed in my now washed thanks to Coco leathers. Blake nodded taking my hand her thin warm fingers made me blush and-

"Did you have another nightmare?" Blake asked like it was the most natural thing ever as I paused.

"Excuse me?"  
"Another nightmare, I was wondering if you had had one last night."  
"I… I don't have nightmares, Blake."  
"Really? Then what do you mumble about in your sleep? You seem pretty awake them." I froze I felt a wave of fear pass in me before I pushed it down.

"Oh! Yeah, I must be mumbling…"  
 _Shti! She probably heard me talking to Knim! I can't keep doing that!_ I gulped shaking my head as Blake nodded.

"Your compass still work?"

"Yeah, it's working fine."  
"Does it still point to what your heart desires?" Blake asked as I moaned that lie had been necessary to explain why I kept a demonic necklace on me I had told them that it pointed to my greatest treasure!

A fact that seemed to backfired spectacularly whenever Ruby came into my field of view as the needle would _stubbornly_ point to her making more than a few questions get asked.

"You look tired are you sure you are sleeping well? Do you need a spell of sleeping? I know a few that can knock you out."  
"I'm fine babe but thanks, I appreciate it," I said pulling her hand as we went to class.

/ / /

"Ah, Mister Arc! I do love our chats! Please! Come in!" Oobleck said as I nodded coming into the messy cramped office of his talking to him was a tradition now and I was keen to stay on his good side. The office was a mess parchment stood in massive stacks that if on the floor would go up to my knee, ink was spilled on most of them half eaten pastries line his desk and he looked like he had not slept n a week, dark bags under his eyes that he seemed to pay no heed greeted me as I sat down.

"Doctor! I have some questions!"

"And I might have answers! Sit lad!" The man said eyes shining the Alchemist welcomed me with a mug of coffee was we began to discuss.

"Is it about your quest lad? Your annual is coming up soon!"  
"Yes sir, I would like to speak on this," I said sitting down as the man smiled he pushed up his glasses and pushed a mug of coffee to me.

"Drink?"  
"Thank you, sir," I said taking the mug I never liked coffee too bitter and the spell of alertness did wonders for my body making me twitch even if it forced my perception to 25 up two points after some Runes.

"Well, Mister Arc what do you want to discuss? I assume what enemies you will face on your first dungeon!"

"Yes, sir I was wondering if you had any advice?" I asked taking a sip of the beverage wincing as the powerful spell forced me to become aware.

"Well Mister Arc I have told you all that I know of most low-level dungeons, we have discussed dungeon archetypes the various locations that you will encounter do you wish to discuss bosses and _odd_ enemies?"  
"Odd sir?"  
"Ah let me explain, there are some dungeon bosses if you remember that are _not_ Grimm."  
"Not Grimm?"  
"Yes, there are some dungeon bosses that are _humans."_

"What? How can that be?"  
"I do not know sadly. All I know is that several parties attest that at the end of an _exceptionally_ long dungeon is a human or humanoid boss with its own health bar that must be vanquished to destroy it. I don't know who these people are or who they are more important. But they talk, walk and even more importantly they seem to know that they were not _always_ dungeon bosses! They are aware of life outside of the dungeon but they do not seem interested in obtaining or leaving!"  
"That's… sir that's incredible."  
"I know! The humanoid dungeon bosses are all Hero classes! Rare ones that are often thought extinct! But when they show up the dungeons are exceptionally powerful! Though it is to be noted that while it is not proven the power of humanoid bosses is in reverse power level of dungeons!"

"What does that mean?"  
"Simply put you know how the Cove is the most difficult dungeon to face and the Ruins the easiest?"  
"Yes, sir."

"Good! Well for humanoid bosses that are the _hardest_ to dispatch the opposite is true! Humanoid bosses found in the Cove while stronger than other bosses are the weakest relatively speaking and the ones in the Ruins the strongest!"

"So not only are they stronger the strongest bosses will always appear in the Ruins?"  
"The potential is there but generally speaking the Ruins are the easiest dungeon for you!" The man said as I nodded the fact that some bosses were human did disturb me but the idea that they were rare helped quite a bit.

 _I wonder who they were before they became dungeon bosses?_

"Sir do you have advice for my quest?" I asked as Oobleck grinned his eyes flashed like emeralds and a wide smile split his face that made me feel oddly warm.

"Why yes! I have plenty! First of all, do not fall victim to bravado! You only need to beat a simple dungeon to pass do that and you are free! I suggest you pick a level one Ruins. Something nice and simple do this and you should have no issues whatsoever!"

"So go for the easy way?"  
"Yes while the easy way is often not the best this time it is most doubly so! Do not try to step out of your league with this Jaune. Find a dungeon at your level twenty-six? Not bad not good but not bad you are at low hero level though I hope you do not get overconfident. Most Partisans do not pass the annual quest and I would _loathe_ losing such an attentive student."

/ / /

I had to admit leveling up was always a new experience for me. Levels came and went but when I hit 28 that was when I got what had to be one of the most interesting skills that I ever had.

' _HAH!_ I knew that you had it in you lad! Good show! Good show indeed! Look at that class! We are in the presence of a future legendary Partisan!" Port yelled as the Beowulf that had once opposed me began to disintegrate really! How he got it into the school was one thing but this? This new spell was _interesting._

 _Cold dead hands. You will never drop your weapon willingly. So long as you are conscious the only way for you to be disarmed is to drop your weapon willingly, have some kind of magic be cast or amputation. Otherwise, you will never be made to let go of any weapon you grip_.

The description of my new skill was _unique_ and for the first time, I saw the possibilities open up.

"Hah! I love that skill!" Yang shouted from above apparently she had the same skill as me an interesting fact and one I thought Velvet needed to her _personally…_

 _/ / /_

 _Class runes…._ Or Runes specific to a class were what Velvet was teaching me today.

"Now! As you can see these are some of the more common Runes that will appear for you and are also the easiest to make!" Velvet said brightly her brown eyes alight with fire as she spoke to me, the passion in her tone was infectious and I couldn't help but feel motivated with her.

The Runes I was looking at were Runes for a Reaper class or Ruby. Class specific Runes came in the same variety of normal Runes, minor, standard, large, and greater and these Runes would only work for this specific class. Ruby had the _Rune of Sanguination_. A Rune that would if I was reading this correctly Velvet was kind enough to write me many notes in common allow or force the target to lose a specific amount of blood from cuts.

So far it looked like if I equipped Ruby with this Rune then her blade would on contact as soon as it split the flesh force 2% of the targets total blood supply not it's current, amount out, the Rune forced out 2% of its complete blood from any form of cut.

And these cuts could not be healed until the blood loss was complete. If healing was attempted on these cuts before the blood had drained out fully they would only get worse some kind of anti-healing spell was worked in and the one time lesser slash might prove fatal.

 _Two, four, six, eight ten? Ten percent of your blood gone in just five hits? Ruby hits fast if she had even a few of these? She could be a monster._ I thought shaking my head these Runes were not hard. I just needed to be 29 to equip them the main catch was that her weaponed needed to be a minimal level four _at_ equipping time or else they would not stick.

"Now onto yourself! I am glad that your Intelligence is actually helping! Who said not being as smart was not good?" Velvet asked with the tact and subtlety of a falling cinder block.

She was referring to my new passive skill of _Dense_. Apparently having low stats was a blessing and a curse as I was now _Thick skulled._ The long short of that was when you have high Constitution and Strength and you mix that with _low_ Intelligence you can become _Thick skulled_.

The effects of the skill were simple. _Due to your apparent lack of Intelligence, it is significantly harder for you to be hexed, charmed, persuaded, seduced or cursed. You simply do not have the Intelligence to even register what is happening numbing their effects. Any attempt of these actions on you will cost the aggressor over half as much effort and they will only be half as effective. You also take slightly reduced magical damage._

"As you can see! Not having high stats is bad and good! There are some _incredibly_ useful common spells that will only show up if your stats are low in some places but high in others!" Velvet said already moving onto her next tutor topic, she was speaking at length of charms and wards, things that I could use to fight off magical attacks.

I already had one on my hand the small amulet that alerted me if I was being lied to-

" _Ozpin lies to you Jaune. That box is demonic in nature, the fact that it is made of mortal materials is irrelevant that box is corrupted by my world."_ Knim's voice sang into my ear memories of the last night conversation still fresh in my mind.

"Jaune! Are you listening/"  
"Yes! Sorry!"

"Ah! Ok, now if you…"  
I trailed off my last night talk with the demon was far from comforting.

" _He lies Jaune, that box is corrupted. Any mortal that is exposed to elements from our realm without significant protection will eventually rant, rave, go mad and attack those close to them and themselves in the process. He is curious as to why you have not shown any side effects and I do admit he is as curious as am I."_

"And when you go into a dungeon remember! That you can always back out! Just walk out the way you came, or if you wish to go on one setting up a campfire is also advised!"

" _You might be valuable to him, a once in a lifetime find for a Partisan but head my warning. Ozpin is old very, very old. He is also quite fond of staying alive. There is an enemy of his as old as time itself and he needs you to vanquish it. If you allow him to use you he will slay a great evil, but then?"_

"But then! If you camp you must be wary, you may be ambushed in the night by Grimm or other monsters in a dungeon!"

" _Then he will turn on you, your class is a great threat to him one of few that if combined might put the old man down in the ground for good. The moment you slay that evil he wishes your own life and not just yours! But all of your kind will be forfeit!"_

'If you die in the middle of a dungeon then it's all for nothing! Your life was forfeit so don't die ok!" Velvet said smiling I felt cold my hands were cold I was sweating profusely as I gulped.

"I'll try not to…"  
"Good! Now let's practice some Runes I know you are selling some to Roman and that Weiss is having Blake or Nora carry them to his place. I don't know why she is so cautious but anyways let's talk Runes!" The rabbit faunus said as I gulped the rock with the demonic Rune burn in my side as I decided to take a gamble.

"Velvet."  
"Yes?"

"I want you to look at something if that is ok?" I asked as I took out _Obscurus_ last night during my talks with Knim something happened, I brought the piece of metal that was out way communicating to close to the handle of _Obscurus_ and something that could only be called _pink lightning_ shot out from the metal. The lightning had marked the handle of my sword with a strange script.

It was not common and it was not a script that looked even remotely familiar. The letters if you would call them that were rough and jagged. The letters seemed more like hardened symbols were etched onto it, they _hurt_ my eyes and even Knim said she had no idea _exactly_ what they were.

"Oh? Show me." Velvet said as I gulped showing her the base of my sword, Velvet gripped it looking at it curiously before frowning.

"Well, it _is_ a Rune, that much I know for sure. But it's not a Rune that I know…" Velvet glared at it her brown eyes narrowed as she waved her hand over the Rune.

" _Cor tuum mainifestes."_ Velvet said waving her hand over the rune the symbols glowed pink. Velvet glared at them as she sighed.

"Where did you get this? Did you put this Rune on?" Velvet asked her eyes narrowed as I winced.

 _Shit! How do I explain this!? I can't say I'm talking to a demon!_  
"I! I found it?"  
"You _found_ it?" Velvet asked her eyebrow-raising her rabbit ears slowly reaching up as I moaned.

"Y-yeah! I was in town the other day and I ran into another Blacksmith!"  
 _"Really?_ "  
"Yeah! He showed me this really cool Rune design! And I put it on my sword?" That was the _worst_ lie in the history of all lies! I knew I was-

"Jaune! You can't do that! You can't just put Runes on your weapons without knowing the level requirement!"  
"I… What?"

"You can't do that Jaune! What if it backfired!? What if you got hurt! Then what!?"  
"I… it was my fault and I am sorry."

"You should be! Now don't do that again, I'm going to commit this to memory and look it up in my scrolls." Velvet said scribbling down something with a quill when made appear onto a parchment sheet she was reading to me off. As the faunus began to lecture I sighed things were going well for the moment, I had made friends with a demon, learned Ozpin was planning to kill me and I had relatively little to no chances of normalcy again. Life was great!

/ / /

"Jaune."  
"Weiss…."  
"Jaune talk to Ruby." My partner handler said as I sighed Weiss and Ruby and a _big_ argument recently. We went as a guild to debate on something very important roles in the dungeon positions and what not. I was, of course, the center of the formation, protected on all sides from harm. And Ruby… Ruby was put on the back with Weiss… Something that I thought nothing of but Ruby was a bit… _peeved_. She _wanted_ to be on the front line but her lack of health was keeping her in the back of our party…

"Weiss she-

"Jaune. She has _less_ Constitution than you she is in the back, final." Weiss said as I

"Fine… I'll talk to her."  
"See that you do. We need all members at full."  
Weiss said as I noted and went to console the Reaper.

/ / /

"Ruby! Ruby come on!"  
"No Jaune I am not going to talk to Weiss!" Ruby shouted back refusing to look at me she was stomping out into the deepest part of the Emerald forest and I was made to follow her.

"Ruby! Come back to the guild!" I yelled she was not happy, Weiss's speech she gave to her about how the group would function in the dungeon did not go well.

 _It really is not that bad! Come on Ruby! We can be near the back together!_

"Jaune! Look at us! They think we can't take care of ourselves!"

"That's not the point Ruby! We need to find roles that will best suit us!" I tried to reason as I followed Ruby she stalked forward her large black boots crunched the forest underfoot as she stomped forward I groaned as I just wanted Ruby to come back.

"Ruby!"  
"I'm tired of it! Jaune this is a problem! Look at you! Weiss wants you to be in the center! The center of the formation!"

"Is that a problem!?"

"Yes! You have more Constitution than most of the guild! You should be one of our tanks!"

"I.. how do you know other's stats?"

"We talk… in the Beacon baths, we talk to each other… but that's not the point! They are looking down on me Jaune! I don't need to be coddled away from the fight!"

"Ruby it's not like that! You are better at the flanks! If you can be the one going up and down our lines then that will work right?" I offered to thank my stars as Ruby's eyes lit up.

"That's what I'm saying! But Weiss and Yang want me in the very back!"

"We can talk to them later Ruby!"  
"You know what they are like! Jaune you heard Weiss, she thinks that I'm too weak to be in the main fight!"

"I.. I'll talk to her but she's Weiss!"

"And?! You are our leader! I don't care how you justify it, _you_ can make decisions for us!"

"I… listen, Ruby, we can talk I know that you are upset but why? Why are you so upset about this?"

"Jaune." Ruby turned to face me her silver eyes burned with passion I gulped as the compass on my neck pointed dead at Ruby. The needle never left her position it always pointed to Ruby, ever since I almost died in the forest and unless Ozpin was near me Ruby was the _only_ thing it would point at.

"Jaune… do you know what a Reaper is?"  
"A rare class?"  
"Jaune… I do not plan on living very long."

"What? Why do you say that!?"  
"You know how stats work? I… have a _null_ stat, a very bad one."  
"Everyone has a null stat Ruby that's not so bad."  
"That's what you say! Your null stat is not your Constitution!"

"I.. what?"  
"My Constitution… it's at _five_ Jaune. I was born with it like that and it will never get better!"

 _Five? That's five times four twenty!? That would make her die with one hit from Obscurus!?_

"I don't plan on living very long, my mom knows that my dad knows that and Yang knows that. She wants to keep me safe but I want to help! I can't help people if I don't level!"

"There is more than one way to level up! You can help us kill the boss!"

"I need to level up to fight him! I spend most of my time with Yang she barely lets me free to do my own farming! I'm tired of people protecting me! I just want to be a Hero!" Ruby said before blurring off into the distance as my compass went mad as I groaned.

"Ruby!" I yelled as I chased after the next half hour was a blur of blood and pain. Ruby's negative Mood made us Grimm bait, I needed to work with Ruby to clean our way through the small horde of Beowulf and Ursa and….

 _What the hell? Why are there so many Grimm?_ I wondered as the monsters weak ones as they were seemed to boil out of nothing. They seemed to be coming from mid-air the monsters came in waves throwing themselves at us without heed or care for their own lives. Ruby dashed in and out in a blur of roses slicing up the Grimm like Ren cut meat.

I hacked and slashed my shield paid off in _full_ allowing me to not only attack but block the enemy. As we hacked and slashed our way forward breaking past the horde of Grimm that seemed to materialize out of thin air the two of us fought past the Grimm until I saw it…

My compass was pointing _away_ from Ruby… It was pointing due North and heading Knim's words I followed it. _We_ followed the needle I didn't know why but I _felt_ my legs move.

Ruby was the same none of us talked, we didn't speak a word as we hacked and slashed our way, slicing and crushing the weak monsters that fell before us as he followed the needle that _doggedly_ guided us to wherever the hell we were going taking us right to what looked to be the heart of the Grimm.

I walked with Ruby for ten minutes slaughtering Grimm with her before we found _it…_

"No way…" I said as I saw it a _tower_ was in the middle of the forest. A massive slab of stone that looks like a large tube? With a strange box-like top on it that seemed to _glow_ with a faint burning torch like a giant match my brain seemed to say-

 _Lighthouse._ The word flashed in my brain as I paused. The massive structure looked like a mug made of stone and moss? I saw strange green growths on it that while organic in nature seemed wholly at odds with the forest around them.

 _The hell is a lighthouse?_

I thought as-

"Jaune! A dungeon!" Ruby said blurring forward she shot up as I groaned.

"Ruby!" I shouted before charging after her the massive tower bloated out the sun as I got closer the ground became damp and moist as I felt my feet sink into the mud.

I stopped just as Ruby looked at the side, there was a massive set of old wooden doors that looked like they were terribly waterlogged. Several odd brightly colored shapes were stuck to the door some looked like pink stars others small green dots of-

In a moment the doors swung open I never even touched them at once I was bombarded by a wave of foul air, the smell of death and decay slammed into me like a hurricane a tidal wave of nausea as the smell of decaying flesh and old stagnant air that had a smell to it that I could only all _salty?_ The air tasted and smell like salt-

 _Briney._ A voice echoed in my head I blinked that was not me or Knim… over the past few days I have had these voice… bursts of inspiration that told me things I did not know…

"Jaune! It's a cove! And it's a level one! Jaune we found our first dungeon!" Ruby said as I suddenly had a sinking feeling looking down my compass pointed _dead_ at the dungeon and I felt myself gulp…

* * *

 **AN: And there we go! This chapter is done! Jaune met a new friend! Knim is somewhat _trustworthy,_ Ozpin's loyalty, if it was not already, is now cast into doubt! Jaune is the leader of his guild for tax reasons, and now Jaune and Ruby have found a Dungeon! As the boy progresses things are approaching the first Arc's end! The dungeon is on the table and now the only question is? Will they _wait_ for a guild or will Jaune and Ruby be _bold..._ Find out later on the next Brave Sir Robinson! Until then _God's mistake_ is next, then a commission piece then Reverse so until then? Take care and thanks for reading...**

* * *

 **Stats**

 **Name Jaune Arc**

 **Level 28**

 **Health 228/228**

 **Strength 51 +8 Rune**

 **Charisma 9**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Perception 21+2**

 **Constitution 57 + 20 Runes and trinket**

 **Dexterity 15+1**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Wisdom 9**

 **Lien 2,335**

 **MP NA**

 **Skills.**

 _ **Stroke the fire.**_ **Creates heat to conduct Blacksmithing warning only your hands are immune to said heat.**

 _ **Armorsmithing level four.**_ **You can create armor for almost all people once you have the material.**

 _ **Rune smithing.**_ **You can mow create moderate Runes of any type.**

 _ **Blunt force.**_ **Your attacks with strength based weapons will now scale up to .75**

 **Metallurgy. You can now forge any object that you can imagine of with metal. Requires resources.**

 **Armorsmithing level 4. You can now make suits of armor custom tailored to your own design.**

 **Common spells.**

 _ **Passive Guts.**_ **Ignores all but** _ **debilitating**_ **attacks to your person.**

 _ **Passive Hardy.**_ **Most poisons are less effective, you get sick fare less often and you will take a small amount of reduced damage from all attacks.**

 _ **Passive Cold dead hands.**_ **Your weapon will never be forced from your hands. So long as you do not willingly let go the only way you can be disarmed is through magical means or if your hands are amputated.**

 _ **Passive Thick skulled.**_ **Due to your lack of Intelligence and high strength any attempts to charm, hex, seduce, trick, or curse you takes double the effort on the aggressor and all effects are halved. You lack the Intelligence to allow these abilities to fully manifest. You also will take** _ **slightly**_ **reduced damage from magic attacks.**

 **Items.**

 **Amulet of Revelation. Informs you when you are being hexed, cursed or charmed. Does** _ **not**_ **stop said abilities but will lessen effects.**

 **Compass. A cursed compass of demonic origin points you where you** _ **need**_ **to go.**

 **Charm of Constitution plus five Constitution**

 **Demonic sigil. Allowing you to communicate with denizens of the twelfth plane of torment and more.**

 **Unknown script. A strange script on your weapons hilt what it means is unknown it appears to be demonic in origin...**


	7. Skill up

**AN: We are here! The new chapter of Brave Sir Robinson! It's been a while but we are back! Jaune is back in the Guild the group is debating the dungeon raid, and well Jaune and Blake have a meeting with his aunt, Blake stops half-assing things, Knim goes dark and Jaune gets a new skill and learns the up and downs of following instructions from a _literal_ demon.**

* * *

Weiss was not in a good mood.  
"The decision is final Ruby, I will not hear any more on this matter." My partner said as she glared at the Reaper, Ruby fumed, pouting slamming her foot down on the wooden floors of our guild hall as she balled up her fists.

"That's not fair!" Ruby said her voice sharp and angry, like the end of her weapon, the freshly leveled scythe that she never went more than a step without. Ruby glared daggers at Weiss who was wholly unfazed and had an irritated expression like she was being yelled at by a petulant child unwilling to go to bed.

"Ruby-"

"You saw it Jaune! That dungeon is perfect! We can take it, it's only a level one!"  
"It is indeed a level one Ruby, it is a level one Cove which makes it a level three in all but _name_. If we were to go into that dungeon now? We would be dangerously under leveled and I will not take that responsibility for Jaune's safety." Weiss said giving Ruby a downright glacial look as she ground her teeth.

"But-"

"No buts. We are not ready for the Cove yet. We will wait and level up and go back when we are _all_ properly leveled up."  
"But it might be gone by then! What if someone, another guild comes and takes it out!?"  
"Then that is just life Ruby there was nothing we could do to change that." Weiss finished her sentence, putting down a stack of papers she was shuffling.  
"Now if you are done complaining me and Jaune have to go meet with his aunt-"  
"I mean the dean for his monthly review. I need to show her that I have kept Jaune in good condition during his time in my care. And if he almost dies, _again_ , I will have a harder time keeping the head on my body."  
"But that's not fair!"

"Life is rarely so, now unless you have something legitimate to ask me we are done here," Weiss said with a glacial chill as I sighed.  
"Weiss can you be-"

"This is not fair! We can do this! We can take this dungeon!"

"Ruby. I am not going to argue with you about this. We are not ready for that fight."  
"We are ready! Jaune is ready! _I_ am ready!" Ruby said stomping her foot on the ground her thick boots made a thud on the wooden floor the slightly breaking apart wood groaned under her pressure I gulped thinking that she might just kick a hole in the floor.

"Ruby, you are not acting like a friend! You need to know Jaune's limits! Your life is not on the line, first and foremost! And second, how do you even plan to go into the dungeon? What is your plan of attack? How do you think we will deal with the various dangerous Grimm that live there?"  
"I… I don't' know but we can do it!" Ruby said her fists balled her eyes shimmering with pure passion as I gulped.  
"Ruby-"

"That is not good enough! You need to have a plan! If you take Jaune and he dies you are not going to be hung! This is my life Ruby, not just your dream! I am not saying that we will not do this dungeon, I am saying that we can not do it now as we are! We need to train, level up, then we can consider doing a dungeon, probably not a Cove maybe the Warrens, or Forest?" Weiss was Weiss she offered Ruby a compromise that should appease her.

 _Good, now with this Ruby will probably back off-_  
"But this is a Cove! A Cove Weiss! Think of the loot in it! Think of all the things we could find! All the weapons, the treasure!"

"Ruby. While that is a tempting offer we are just not ready for that challenge at this time." Weiss said a resigned look in her eyes as Ruby whimpered.

"But we-"

"No buts, we _will_ fight them together after but for now, we wait."  
"That's not fair!" Ruby yelled before blurring out of the door making it bang on the wall as-

 _"AHH!_ Watch where you're going!" Velvet hissed at the top of her lungs as Ruby blurred past her, our very own Maid who was not a Maid. Really I knew better than to call her a Maid she might be an NPC like me but she was a _dangerous_ one according to Roman.

"What the hell?" A voice I knew all too well said as Velvet hissed.

"Do not run in the house! You might fall through the floors!" Velvet hissed before grunting lifting up a heavy bucket full of cleaning supplies cursing about fast Reapers and walking down the steps. A second later Blake appeared her amber eyes wide in confusion as she blinked owlishly.

"What's up with her?" The Assassin lover of mine and I did use the term _lover_ lightly. Blake and I had grown closer over the past few weeks and I was now even able to get a hug! A literal hug from her every now and then if I was a good boy which I did my very best to become.

"She is just having a bad day," I said as Blake frowned, she saw through my half-truth in less than a second but not being very close with Ruby she shrugged her shoulders, not caring for the Reaper that much as she walked in. Her loose fitting house clothes that looked like blue robes wrapped around each other, covering her top in a loose blue top that had a layer of fabric loosely wrapped around it and baggy blue pants that seemed inhumanly comfortable on her thin body.

"Ready to go?" Blake asked as I gulped, this was a big day not only was I meeting with Aunt Glynda to show her that Weiss was taking good care of me, today was also the day I would introduce my girlfriend to my family! Or my aunt.

 _Be cool you can do this just be cool_ I thought as I nodded.

"Sure am! Babe?" I took the risk hoping Blake would not put me through the wall something she could easily do or laugh in my face, she just nodded nonplussed a response that somehow made me feel worse as Weiss sighed.

"Come on Casanova, impress your lover on your own time, let's see if your aunt will have me hung ok?" Weiss asked standing up straightening up her dress as I nodded and followed her out as I held out my arm.

"Blake? Would you-"

"Sure." She shrugged taking my arm in hers making me want to do a backflip.  
 _Mission success!_ I thought as we walked out of the room and began the trek to Glynda's office.

/ / /

"And as you can see Jaune is in _perfect_ health, has gone up several levels, and is in good shape physically, mentally and spiritually." Weiss finished her report as I gulped I was sitting by her as my aunt gave her a penetrating look that threatened to break apart Weiss's forehead as she narrowed her eyes.

"You say that but it says that Jaune almost died under your care?"  
"He did. But he did that of his own volition, he wandered out and went into the forest."  
"And you let him? Why were you not watching him?" Glynda asked giving Weiss a look that made me want to crawl under the table and hide behind Weiss.  
"I was busy attending personal matters in regards to me in Atlas. I could not bring Jaune to them as they were an Atlas matter and-"  
"I thought that you were no longer associated with Atlas?" Glynda interrupted Weiss making her pause, she gripped her hands into small balls as I gulped. She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I still have some connections in Atlas, people that I talk to-"

"I did not think you were allowed to talk to anyone. Is that not a violation of your banishment?"

"It is _not._ I know my banishment details very well ma'am. And I am well aware of what I can and cannot do thank you very much. Talking to… to whom I wish from Atlas is not against any rules that exist. Please, do not try to say that it is." Weiss finished glaring at Glynda with a look that could freeze a barn blaze.  
"I see… well, go on." Glynda said rolling her eyes as Weiss gave her a beatific grin.

"As I was. I have been a good handler of Jaune. He is fed, leveled and happy. He has even found a relationship."  
 _Weiss! You were not supposed to say that!_ I thought as I felt my aunt's penetrating glare hit my body, it felt like I was punched by a blow from Yang. I felt the amulet on my wrist go off, she was using some type of spell on me but I gulped, thanking the dense stat in my list that was protecting me.

Glynda paused a frown over her face apparently whatever spell she had cast had failed to do what she intended as she pinched the bridge of her nose and tilted her head back.

"Very well, it appears that you are taking good care of my nephew, and I am glad that even if he seems willing to die for some idiotic, self-centered, asinine downright suicidal! Ideas of glory then yes. I am fine and see no major improprieties in your behavior with him. I thank you for your efforts."  
"You are welcome, ma'am. May I leave? I believe that you and Jaune have a meeting?"  
"Yes… we do have that." Glynda said giving me a glacial look as I gulped.

"Weiss do you want to stay? You know to make sure she does not kill me?" I asked already feeling her gaze start to peel my skin.

"Oh no, I'm sure she would _love_ to see how you explain your new… confidant." Weiss said flashing me an evil look before leaning in to whisper into my ear.

"Consider this payback for letting me think that you were going to die." Weiss hissed into my ear standing up and stalking out of the room as she shook her hips making my eyes fall as my amulet burned. _She's hexing me?!_ I thought as Weiss opened the door to the Beacon hall the Mage called out.

"Blake, he's waiting for you!" Weiss said as I heard a mute response. As I saw the word Assassin fall into place as Blake walked into view her amber eyes locked onto mind as-

"An _Assassin_?" Glynda asked as I felt her raise her brows to me. She did not approve of Blake.  
 _Well, I knew that she would not like her or at least not yet! I'm sure she will come around in the end!_

"Thank you," Blake said walking in she changed outfits to her day one. The light purple cloak wrapped around a light purple top and a downed hood revealing her black cat ears. Her pants wrapped in a tight pair of purple pants that flowed as she walked in, her feet not making a sound of the carpeted floor as she sauntered in.

"Hello, Jaune. Miss Goodwitch." Blake said locking eyes with my aunt I felt the animosity Glynda looked ready to toss Blake out of a window and Blake's hands never left her daggers on her waist.

" _Please_ do not attack my aunt." I hissed as I took Blake's hand and I swore! That Glynda looked ready to rip off my very arm. Or Blake from the fierce glare on her face I could not tell who she would attack as she growled.

"Jaune. You did not say that your… _partner_ was an Assassin." Glynda hissed as I saw Blake growl, twin fangs popped out of her face as she glared straight daggers at my adopted family member.  
"Have fun!" Weiss said once before walking out of the room closing the door leaving me in between two very dangerous heroes.

"She is my girlfriend Aunt! I just wanted you to meet…" I said weakly hoping that I could make her see that Blake was a good person! Her being an assassin was not a direct call to her character. She was Blake! And I cared deeply-

"You have an interesting taste in lovers, I can not say that I approve."  
"I'm glad he was not asking _you_ for approval," Blake said a second later as I froze she was glaring death at Glynda and I knew that this was not going to end very well.  
"I mean! I don't need approval but I want you two to get along!"  
"Jaune how did you _meet_ Blake?" Glynda asked as I fought to not pump my fist. _Great! Now I can tell her how Blake saved my life! She will surely like her for that! She just has to!_  
"She saved my life! In the beginning, she stopped and Alpha Beowulf form killing me-"

"And she used that to guilt trip you to helping her. _Wonderful._ " Glynda said as Blake rolled her eyes.  
"I did not do that. I saved your nephew's life, thank you very much."  
"Oh, I do doubt that altruism guides you, Blake, if you can even understand the concept of helping others without personal gain factored it," Glynda added a hiss in her voice as Blake stiffened, her cat ears going straight up as I felt her hand grip mine in a crushing grip.

"Oh I would not know, my kind is used to just killing recklessly without whom or care. I wonder if you would like to anger someone whose _job_ it is to end lives?"  
"Is that a _threat?"_  
"Not if you don't think it is."  
"Why-"

"Me and Blake are close! We hang out every day! And we are already great friends and lovers!" I said gripping her hand and squeezing! Both of them ignored me acting as if I was not in the room as they continued their stare down.

"You know that I always disliked _Villains_. You are a smear on our name as Heroes."

"Oh, I'm sorry for being born. Would you like me to stab my parents for that?"  
"If you have not killed them already, I might pay you to do so."

"You really are big on judging me for what I am without knowing me? A wonder Jaune is so balanced. With such an aunt as you, I'm surprised he is not just a hateful ignorant busybody who judges people based on the word over their head and not their actual personality."  
"What did you say!?"  
"Did I stutter?" Blake asked cocking her head, her fangs bared out as she growled.  
"You know nothing about me!"

"And you know _anything_ about me?" Blake countered her yellow eyes never leaving Glynda's green ones as she slammed her wand the level three weapon down hard with a heavy _whack!_ On the table.  
"I will not sit by and let a damn Villain threaten me!" Glynda shouted leaning over her desk as Blake hissed.  
"And I will not sit here and let a Hero try to treat me like I'm less than her!" Blake yelled taking two steps forward her face inches from my Aunt's and-  
"You are! You are a murderer-"

 _"STOP!"_ I yelled I stood up faster than I thought I could, my fist balled my anger rising my temper was flaring and I could not hear, blood poured into my ears and it sounded like the beating of drums a steady _rush_ of power filled them as I glared at my aunt.  
"Aunt Glynda!" I shouted for what might have been the first time in my life Glynda took a step back stunned by my words as the Witch froze.  
"Jaune? What are you doing-"

"I am stopping your from insulting my lover!" I was screaming I had never done that before, my head was heated my blood was pumping. I glared at my aunt using all my Charisma to fuel my anger and hoping, _praying,_ that if the Luck stat existed it was on my side.

"Aunt Glynda! This is the girl that saved my life! She has been nothing but good to me since I got to Beacon and I won't let you insult her!"  
"Jaune!?"  
"Jaune?" Glynda and Blake both said in quick session one with fury in her tone the other shock and awe, and something close to pride? Blake's eyes shot open as a small gasp left her thin, bee-stung lips.

"Jaune! You do not know what you are saying!"  
"I think I do know what I am saying! I am not going to let anyone even you… someone I love insult someone else that-"

"That you love!? Jaune you barely know her!"  
"So what!? Maybe I do love her! Maybe she has done more for me in this school than you ever did! At least she cares!" _Fuck me, I just told Aunt Glyn that she doesn't care about me!? She's going to tan my hide! Or worse tell my mom and-_

"Jaune Arc! How dare you say that! I love you! I respect you-"

"Not enough to let him make his own decisions," Blake said standing gripping my hand tightly a look of vindication in her eyes.

"He wants to be with me, he cares for me. I care for him. We are going to date whether you like it or not." Blake almost hissed, a smile so sickly and smug on her face it made me want to vomit just by looking at her.

"You do not know who you are talking to!"  
"I am talking to a bigot who judges based on class and not on character."  
"You! Jaune!"  
"Jaune!"  
"I! Blake! You… you are right. Aunt Glynda. Blake is a good person! Even if she is an Assassin! She is a good person, can't you see that?"

"Jaune, she is a villain! She is _using_ you! She doesn't care about you in the slightest! She is using you!"

"You don't even know me. You have not spoken to me before today, how can you make a judgment about my character like that?" Blake asked cocking her head, her eyes glaring holes into my aunt her warm, soft, _strong_ hand that felt like it was going to crush mine made me wince in pain.

"Jaune are you sure-"

"Yes. I know that Blake is the best for me, I'm sorry Aunt Glyn. But if you do not approve of our relationship? Well… I don't need your or anyone else's approval, who I date, who I decided to _love_ is no one's business but my own and as long as Blake is willing? There is no one else that I would rather be with. And if you don't like that? Well too bad." I said glaring at my aunt turning away on one foot.  
"Come on Blake we are leaving."  
"Jaune?"  
"Jaune wait!"  
"If you want to apologize to Blake, Auntie then you can but if you are not going to apologize? And are just going to insult her? We have nothing more to say to you."  
"Jaune! _Please!_ Listen to me! She is using you! She is not your friend!"  
"Goodbye Aunt. I had hoped this would be better." I said walking away dragging a stunned Blake as-

"Jaune!"  
"No. I am done half-assing things. I'm committed. I won't back down." I said pulling Blake who was still trying to pull her jaw off the floor and wiping that shit eating grin from her lips as we walked outside leaving a stunned Witch as the door closed with a heavy thud!

/ / /

I knew that my _outburst_ in front of my Aunt I knew that I would face consequences for it, I knew that there would be some repercussions for it but I did not think that the repercussions would come from Blake the woman I may or may not have declared my love for in front of my aunt-

"AH! Blake! Please! My neck!" I hissed the faunus Assassin held me up on a wall her far superior strength on full display her fingers locking _crushing_ my neck as she hoisted me up off the floor pushing me against a cool marble wall as I gagged!

"What you said! Back there, what were you thinking!?" Blake hissed, glaring at me, a truly unreadable look in her flickering golden eyes as I gulped.  
"I was defending you!"  
"I did not _ask_ for your defense! I can defend myself!" Blake hissed her already iron grip doubling as I gasped! Black spots appeared in my eyes I felt my head go fuzzy and I saw my hp start to dip….

"Please! I was just-"

"Defending me? Do you pity me?"  
"No! I-"  
"What? Are you going to say that you _love_ me?"  
"I don't know!"  
"So you _lied!?"_  
"No! I don't know if I love you! But I can see it! I care for you! Please!"  
"You… you don't know me, I am an Assassin! Why did you stand up for me!?" Blake hissed her eyes looking scanning _judging_ me looking for any excuse to bash my brains out as I froze.

"I… I did it for someone I care for, I did it for someone that I _might_ love!" I hissed the blood leaving my head as Blake paused her grip failing as she began to slide me down the wall her amber eyes flickered as she gulped.

"You… you really don't care that I am a Villain?" Blake asked cat ears flickering as I gagged.  
"No! Why would I? You are a person just like me!"  
"I'm a Villain! I kill people! It is literally what I was _born_ to do!"  
"I don't care! You are just another person!"  
"I! I'm nothing like you!"  
"Yes, you are! You are just like me! But attractive!" I hissed as despite everything her choking me my eyes rolling up into the back of my head as Blake froze her grip lessened as I felt the air rush back to my head.

"You… you really don't care?"  
"No! I don't care that you are an Assassin! You are Blake first! Like Ruby, is Ruby first! You are my friend! My girlfriend! What else matters!?"  
"I… I knew I should not have picked you." Blake groaned shaking her head as she finally! Let me go as I gasped.  
"Thank the Light!" I gagged as I finally breathed air!

"I… no one has ever said that about me…"  
"Well, maybe they should?" I gagged hoping that she would not choke me out again. My throat could not take another hit like that and I was already down HP.

"I… fine. _You'll do."_ Blake said as I paused her eyes for once not glaring me dead in my own boring holes into them. She looked down an almost subdued look on her face, I would have said that Blake looked submissive but that was not an emotion to go to her.  
Blake was calm, confident almost cocky but she was always in full control. She never let anyone even Weiss get the edge on her but now? Now she was blushing!? She was blushing her ears flat on her head as she took a deep breath.  
"You said no more half ass right?"  
"I… yes?"  
"Well… I guess that this can kill two birds with one stone, I did not pick you for a mate but you will do."  
"I, good?"  
 _Did she just say, mate?_  
"I… did you say, mate?"  
"You will do. I guess this serves two goals. I guess… Jaune." Blake said her arms gripping my arms I felt my bones crack as I gulped.  
"Yes!?"  
"I'm done half-assing things. I'm in this."  
"I… good?"

"You are right. I'm done half-assing things. If I'm going to do things I'll follow my mother's advice."  
"And _that_ is?"  
"If you want something you go for it, you don't do half measure you do or you don't. And I'm tired of doing half things from now on you are _mine."_ Blake said her words cutting into me as I gulped.  
"Y- yours? What does that mean?" I asked suddenly feeling very hot, I felt like I was cornered by a predator and was a mere field mouse-

"Let me show you.' Blake said her face darted forward and-

 _Soft._ Something soft pressed into my lips, something soft wet and warm pressed into my lips as I froze. _Red?_ I thought my brain froze stuttered and broke, like a wagon falling from a long trolley cart. My heart jumped into the back of my throat.  
I felt my legs freeze my body shook and froze as I felt my limbs tremble in anxiety.  
 _She's kissing me, Blake's kissing me, Blakes kissing me!?_ My world froze Blake pressed her ting small impossibly soft lips onto mine, I felt my breath leave my lungs and my world ground to a sudden, powerful and overpowering stop.

"There. No more half measures you belong to me, you are _my_ Partisan." Blake said purring as I felt myself almost faint.

/ / /

"What the hell happened to you?" Weiss asked as I hummed to myself the day was good, the week was good, life! Life was amazing!  
"Oh, nothing beautiful partner of mine! Did I tell you that you are looking beautiful today? Not that you ever look anything but!" I said smiling widely to Weiss who raised an eyebrow to me, we were seated at our Guildhall for dinner Velvet had made dinner, as usual, preparing a mix of stew, beef and some minor smattering of vegetables mainly because Ren demanded Nora eat a balanced diet and that care rubbed off on the rest of us.

"You… did you get a curse?" Weiss asked taking a bit of a tomato eyeing me as if I was speaking another language.

 _Not that, I can do that, there is only one._ I thought before shaking my head, no use thinking of sad things today is a happy day!  
"Don't worry about me, partner! I did not get a curse! If anything I got a blessing!"  
"Of what? Naivety?" Weiss asked rolling her eyes as-

"Nah, he looks like he finally got some," Yang said taking a large bite of a raw chunk of red meat. Enjoying the rare piece chomping loudly as she swallowed the glistening meat blood dribbling down her lips flowing like rivers over her plate.

 _Like a predator looking over her kill_. I thought before shaking my head, smiling even as Yang inhaled her meat.

"I did get something!" I said smiling ear to ear a low sigh was heard from my left as the single most beautiful creature in all of existence who blessed me from the depths of my heart by simply allowing me to breathe the air around her. Blake pushed her head into my shoulder the slightly shorter Assassin love of my life and the single most attractive being that Oum had blessed me with the ability to see sighed.

Blake rested her head onto my shoulder her eyes that shimmered like pools of gold. Blake pushed her head into my shoulder picking up a piece of tuna and-

"OHHH! He got a kiss! He kissed her Renny! He got a smooch!" Nora said eyeing me like she had figured it all out and well she had, Blake's one kiss had flipped my enter world view, suddenly the feeling that I was kidnapped, forced to fight, and basically set out to die didn't seem to bad!

In fact, if I knew I would get a girlfriend from the get go maybe I should have been less apprehensive about the whole thing? Hell! Being a Partisan was not half bad! Especially if I got another kiss. I felt my face heat up my cheeks heated up as my licks became locked onto the soft supple bee-stung lips of my lover-

"Jaune. I can _feel_ you staring, you want a kiss you have to earn it." Blake said somehow putting a fair amount of sympathy and feeling into her dry comment as I gulped.  
"I! I'll do it! I promise! I swear I'll earn that, Arc's promise!" I blurted making Blake pause rolling her eyes.  
"Jaune. You do know that was a joke right? If you want a kiss just ask." Blake said as I gulped my breath caught in my lungs as I gulped.  
"I-"

"SO! Jaune! What else did you do today!? I killed some Grimm by myself! I was pretty cool!" Ruby suddenly said putting down a drumstick smirking pointing to herself in a heroic fashion ignoring the large piece of chicken skin flapping off her lips like some kind of awkward turkey.  
"Um… Ruby? Your face." Yang said rolling her eyes as Ruby froze silver eyes blinking.

"What? What about my face? Does it look ok? I did that thing you told me to _mphhhh!_ " Ruby moaned Yang covering her mouth as she smiled awkwardly stopping her sister as she laughed awkwardly.

"Hah! Ignore her! Not at the table Ruby!" Yang hissed keeping Ruby moaning as I shrugged. Ruby was always a bit odd, but now? Now I had a girlfriend! Blake was mine! And hell even my _compass!_ That was normally stubbornly pointing to Ruby was now dead set to Blake an action that Blake had not overlooked and made her purr in appreciation.

But for some reason, Ruby had looked downtrodden as the first time the compass turned away from her she looked like she had just lost a fresh blade.

"I! So Jaune! What are you doing tomorrow!? IF you want we can hang out!" Ruby said blinking rapidly and-

"He is hanging out with me," Blake said addressing Ruby for the first time that night something changed, at that moment the atmosphere of the table had changed. Something seemed to snap! Like some kind of twig as the conversation died down.

"I-"

"He's hanging out with me Ruby s-"  
"What about after? You won't hang out with her all day right?"

"Ruby…" Yang warned her eyes dancing between Ruby and Blake who was now eyeing Ruby like she had just tried to swipe a piece of her tuna from her plate.

"I will be hanging out with Jaune for most of the day, and after that, we will probably walk back to the Guild together and relax in one of our rooms alone." Blake almost hissed as Ruby grimaced but gulped.

"I! Well before that! We don't have class so I know you are working with Roman! So how about we hang our right after?"  
"Ruby!" Yang hissed knocking her on her shoulder the Reaper ignored the gesture as I smiled.

"Well sure, that sounds like a good-"

"No," Blake said this time with a hint of irritation as she growled?  
 _Why is she growling?_  
"Jaune is going to be with me _all_ day. We will go out together, I will pick him up and spend the rest of the day until rest with him. Ok?"  
"I! Then tomorrow! We can hand out then right?"  
"Ruby!" Yang was not hissing but almost yelling at her younger sister.  
"That's fine-"

"No. Jaune is taking me out to town after class."  
"I am?"  
"Yes. Yes, you are."  
"I don't remember-

"I said that _I_ want to go into town with my boyfriend. Is that an issue?" Blake asked glittering pools of gold locking onto me as I gulped.  
"Not at all! Let's hang out all day!" I said, happy to find a new excuse to hang out and maybe get another kiss!

"Good. Then me and you can be together _alone."_ Blake said looking Ruby dead in her eyes as she growled her eyes flicked something was cast, I _tasted_ the magic, it was not weak but not powerful blunt was the way I would describe it. Like someone had taken an ax handle to the base of a lock.

"Thank you for offering Ruby but Jaune is busy," Blake said before tilting her head up and pushing up for the second time in my life I felt my brain give out.

My eyes shot open _soft_ lips pressing into my own as I felt my toes curl up in my boots. My body melted almost as Blake kissed me in front of the table-

"I'm done!" Ruby said slamming her fist on the table a hurt look in her eyes before she blurred off.  
 _What's wrong with her?_ I thought as Blake had a very smug look on her lips as she stared Ruby's retreating form down. She broke our kiss and I was already hungry for another, I debated pressing our lips but I decided against it.

 _What if she doesn't want to kiss?_ I thought shaking my head Blake was back to eating and it felt like someone had been shot by an arrow at the table.  
"Why did everyone get so quiet?" Something hard hit my chin as Weiss kicked my chin.

"A! Weiss!?"  
"Idiot! Have some Perfection!" Weiss hissed as I groaned.

"What did I do?"

/ / /

"You really need to learn how to talk to a woman," Weiss said as she walked me to my room, Blake was still not quite as bringing me to bed but Weiss wanted to speak to me.  
"What do you mean? I can talk to women, I'm talking to you right?" Weiss rolled her eyes the same way my sisters or mom did when I messed up.  
"You are not the brightest bulb in the shed I mean I see your stats but that is frivolous!"  
"What did I do?"  
"You… later on, I'll tell you but until then? Please do not get our Guild to kill each other? Please? For me?" Weiss asked as I shrugged.  
"Sure. But I don't know what I did."  
 _Maybe my friendly demon will know?_ I thought I had not spoken to Knim for some time and I needed to get-

"I… just go to bed ok?"  
"Ok? Night?"  
"Night," Weiss said as she walked out of my room and I went to bed.

/ / /

"What did I do?" I hissed into the rock hidden under my pillow as a sigh came from the other side.

" _Look, Jaune. I know that you are not the sharpest sword in the armory but come on. I'm not even a mortal and I know what the hell just happened."_  
"And? What happened?" I asked as the demon groaned.  
 _"It was a territorial squabble. Another was going in for your owner's territory and that was not acceptable."_  
"I… my owner? Who owns me?" I asked as the demon gave another long exasperated sigh.  
 _"You need to make yourself some greater charms of Charisma you know? That or some Wisdom ones."_  
"You taught me how to make those! Thanks!"  
 _"Think nothing of it, how has your guide been? Has it almost had you eaten alive yet?"_

"Not yet… but I'm thinking that me fighting the Grimm in the forest was a fluke, I mean why would I _need_ to fight that thing?"  
 _"Hell if I know but I know what type of item that compass it is, that thing does not mess up. That thing always hits its mark."_ Knim said as I sighed sitting back into my bed.  
"I-"

" _Watch your mouth."_

"What?"  
" _Repeat after me. What? Love. You. Cat. Pretty. Tuna."_ Knim said making me pause eyes wide in pure confusion.  
"Wha-"

" _Don't finish that sentence! Repeat what I just said now! Word per word!"_

"But-"

" _Just do it!"_ The demon screamed as I gulped.

"What? Love. You. Cat. Pretty. Tuna?"

" _Warm. Love. Happy. Cat. Please. Love. Back."_  
"Warm. Love. Happy. Cat. Please. Love. Back." I said as I heard it? Something that sounded like the crack of a board filled my ears and-

" _Your lover is listening in. She is outside the door, she is worried about you being paranoid or cursed. From now on we discuss things in private away from the hall. I will give you some Rune scripts. Jot them down and you can learn how to do something useful."_  
"Jaune?"  
" _Go to sleep!"_  
I hit the pillow head on my side my pocket full of the rock that linked me to the demon my door creaked open and I felt Blake enter.

" _Warm, love, cat, Blake, love, tuna you,"_ I said doing my best to sound asleep Blake froze I heard her breathing as I gulped. _Crap! Can she hear me!? Should I say something!? Does she-_  
"I… you are a fool you know?" Blake said as I felt her smile. I felt her look down as I gulped. _  
What? She called me simple?_ My stone grew heated as I felt it heat up as if Knim was confirming my suspicion.

"I… I don't deserve you."  
 _What?_  
"I don't deserve someone like you… you don't see me for what I am, be it ignorance, arrogance or some general need to save others but… I'm sorry." Blake said as I felt my heart leap into my mouth.  
 _NO! She can't break up with me! Not so soon! I have to tell her-_

The stone in my pocket glowed so hot that it threatened to burn a hole in my pants. I fought back a wince of pain and-

"Still. I don't deserve you, that is a fact. But that does not mean that you are not mine." Blake hissed she was in front of my face, my eyes so fully shut that I did not see her approach. I gulped not sure what to think, Blake was there!

She moved so fast and so swift that I did not even hear her! She was right in front of my face her nose a mere scant inches from my face and her breath tickled my nose.

 _She smells like peaches._  
"You belong to _me._ You are my Partisan better or worse, you said you cared for me that you wanted to be with me. So better or worse you are mine and no pint-sized murderer is going to take what belongs to me." Blake hissed she ran a hand over my neck I fought to keep still as she began to mumble.

" _Levitita, rexrium, ferarti, markiuos."_ Blake hissed as I felt as _something_ burned into my neck she was casting a spell!? It hurt like a hot coal was placed on my neck but I dared not move, I endure the pain watching my HP did as she sighed.  
"Good. Now you are _mine,_ body, and soul." Blake whispered before walking out of the room making me gulp….

/ / /

" _Levitita, rexrium, ferarti, markiuos?_ My boy! Someone has found a lucky lady!" Oobleck said giving me a wink as I gulped, I came to Oobleck as soon as class was out to ask him just what the hell Blake did to me.  
"Lucky lady?"  
"Of course! Jaune that is the spell of the _twin loves!"_  
"The what?" I asked my cheeks heating up as Oobleck sighed pushing up his glasses as he gave me a wide grin that seemed to indicate I was missing some kind of joke.

"That spell my boy means that someone has really fallen for you!"  
"What does it do?"  
"Well, it basically if performed correctly and assuming you do not know the appropriate counterspell?" Oobleck asked as I hung my head.  
"I do not."  
"Well, then it allows Blake?"  
"Yes…"  
"She knows your exact location where you are what you are feeling hell she even can know what you are _thinking_ to some degree."  
"She can read my mind!?"  
"No, but she is in tune with you. Your wants and desires are now laid open to her what you want she will know and be able to provide for you!"  
"That… that seems like she's going a bit too far, I mean what about my privacy?"  
"Privacy is overrated Jaune! You have love! Enjoy that! You might not live long enough to if you don't." The man said his tone instantly growing dark as I gulped.  
"I see, yes sir."  
"Good lad! Now get out there and kill some Grimm! I heard you were doing some experimental runes from Velvet?"  
"I! Yes sir! I found some runes that I am at the appropriate level for."  
"Tell me what happens! I must know for knowledge!

/ / /

"Ok. Here goes nothing. _Nemo, Gradum, Retrorsum."_ I said drawing the rune on my arms.

The Rune began to etch itself to the charm on my table I glared down at it making sure that the awkward eye shaped rune with several long feathers in it was finally and fully crafted.  
"Ok. That's something let's see what you do." I asked as I put the charm on my neck instantly I gasped I felt a fist punch my stomach bursting through my gut and making me scream. I gagged as knowledge pure and simple was forced into me, I felt the power, flowing and-

" _Not one step to the end."_ I gasped as I saw it a new ability forced into me as I read it.  
 _Not one step. You will never run in fear of an enemy. Your will is stout, and your first step in combat is always towards the enemy._ As I read the description I saw something that made my heart freeze.

"Curse?" The new ability was marked under a curse? I had cursed myself!?  
"What the hell!?" I gulped this was bad! I was in my guild hall alone unsupervised, I had told Velvet that I could handle this! I told Weiss! I _promised_ Weiss that I would not mess up and now I was cursed!?  
"Ok. Calm down, calm down Jaune you got this! Just think a bit, what can you do to improve your self? Knim! She did not just give you them for nothing!" I paused I needed to think clearly, I just had to think about my situation. I was cursed but it didn't sound too bad! I just would not run away! How was that a curse!?

"It's not that bad… I hope…" I said gulping as I looked down Knim and given me seven Rune's to script, Blake had been keeping me on a tight leash, even after our dates which I loved more than life itself. Even if she and Ruby were arguing that was no reason for me to not be friends with both of them!  
But for some reason the more I tried to bond with both of them the more they _both_ seemed to get pissed off!

"I don't know what's going on." I sighed before working on a new Rune.  
"I scribbled down another Rune patch finishing the awkward rune sketch that while it had no level I had not burst into flames the moment it was finished so I assumed it was done.

"Let's see what you do?" I asked as I put the Rune on my arm, rubbing it onto a piece of toss away armor. I used this armor just in case something like the last Rune happened.

Even if I was cursed the curse was applied to the _armor_. Not necessarily to me. As long as I took off the armor the curse would not be applied.

"Not like I put the damn thing on my arm," I said mumbling as I applied the Rune to a piece of toss away armor.  
"And they said that you had no use? Shows what they know." I mumbled applying the rune as-

"AHHH!" I screamed I felt like I had been branded, I felt my skin burn like someone had pressed a brand down on it. I hollered in pain screaming out as I yelped!

"Shit!" I cursed tossing the armor to the ground it clattered onto it as I saw it… my flesh had a _mark._ The Rune had gone through my armor and was branded on my flesh. I looked on in abject terror as-

" _Know no fear. Nullum timorem."_ I spoke as I heard the words this was a _curse_. I saw it flash in my eyes as-

 _Fear is the mind killer you will know none of it. As long as you are sound of mind the concept of fear is as foreign to you as flight to a serpent. You will fear nothing._ The words played across my mind as I gulped.

/ / /

"You, did, _what?"_ Weiss hissed her voice damn near glacial the room's temperature had dropped so far that it was now able to form small pillars of ice falling from the ceiling, the chilling glare of my handler would have had me running behind a tree before but now? Now I didn't really care. Sure I knew Weiss was angry at me but I was oddly not bothered by it.

"I gave myself a curse," I said repeating myself again, Weiss looked ready to beat me to death with her own staff. She stifled a growl-  
"What is wrong with you!?" Even if I knew no fear I was not a fool. Blake did not even bother to hide her displeasure growling at me as her amber eyes glared deep down into me as I gulped.

"I… I made a mistake-"

"A _mistake!?_ You got cursed! One that does not come off! I mean how foolish! How stupid can you be!? I-"

"Blake. Calm. Down. I am just as infuriated about this as you but Velvet? What can you say?" Weiss asked as Velvet was oddly calm looking over her notes as she shrugged.

"Well there is good news and there is bad new, what do you want to hear first?" Velvet asked a thin smile on her lips. She seemed nonplussed about this whole curse fiasco and seemed more amused than anything, her flowing white robe that was still full of dripping bleeding roses shook as she looked down.

"The bad news, let's get this over with," Weiss said rubbing her head she was already cursing as Velvet nodded.

"Well, the bad news is that this curse is very hard to remove and I don't think we can remove it."  
"I'm going to kill you," Blake growled putting a hand and squeezing my shoulder making me groan.

"It hurts!" I said as Blake growled.

"And? The _good_ news?" Weiss asked rolling her eyes as she growled at me looking ready to assault me the moment I spoke up.

"As far as curses that don't go anywhere and are hard to remove go? This is an oddly benign one it does not cause severe negative effects and is ironically useful. As long as Jaune is sound of mind he is well… he is fearless." Velvet said shrugging her chocolate eyes shimmered as Weiss paused a confused look on her face as she paused.

"Well, go on. Tell me more."  
"Well as long as he is mentally fit, fear will not rule his actions. He is not swayed by fear and will not run from an enemy out of terror. It's not a terrible thing to be cursed with really."

"Mentally fit?" Weiss asked as Velvet nodded.

"So long as his stress is _low?_ I believe it will have little negative effects on him."  
"That does not sound like a curse," Blake said her eyes still glaring at me but slightly less deadly.  
"So he is not in danger from it?"  
"I did not say that, fear is an important part of life and if Jaune is unable to be afraid?"  
"He won't run away from danger. He'll just fight!" Blake hissed and-

"Well that _is_ true, he will not run away from fear but that does not say he is foolish. He will be able to retreat if a situation reaches an unfavorable angle he just will not be able to run away due to fear. Besides that, he is still his own person."

"That… that is not so bad." Weiss said finally calmed down the fact that I had not made myself a walking lake of bad luck seemed to go over well with her and-

"Wait how did you even make this Rune?" Blake asked as I gulped saying hey guys! A demon I was secretly talking to in my spare time told me about them! Sounds great right? That would not fly.

"I… I had a vision?" I said not a lie but not the truth either. Knim did show me something so technically it was a vision. But not the type that I wanted to tell them.

"You had a vision and you just scrawled down whatever the hell you did and made it a Rune!?" Blake hissed not buying it for a second.

"If you expect me to sit here and believe that-"

"Actually that makes _perfect_ sense." Velvet my guardian angel with a long pair of brown rabbit ears and a criminal record as long as I was tall said as she nodded a hungry look in her eyes.

"What most people do not know about Runes is that the vast majority of Runes that we use are not made on purpose!"  
"What?" Blake asked as Velvet gave her a warm smile as she was finally able to lecture again!

"Well most Runes that we use are not made on purpose, many times Partisan's simply scrolled down what they _felt_ would be interesting and created a Rune from that! Most Runes are made by accident and Jaune having a vision before creating one is not only well within the realm of possibility it is almost a guarantee to happen sooner or later!"

"So he might have actually seen something in a dream or something scribbled it down and it was a Rune?" Blake asked skepticism clear in her voice as Velvet nodded.

"Yes! Exactly! When you or a Partisan, Jaune, scribble anything with the _intent_ to create he has the chance for putting together the right combinations of lines and sigils to create a Rune! It might be rare, it might be common or it might be an entirely new Rune that was not even known to exist!"  
"That… that is amazing! Why is this not done more?!" Weiss asked hey eyes shining no doubt seeing a possible way to help her dead family that I was still there to bring back one I have level past seventy.

"Well, the main issue is that when you create a Rune you have no idea what the level cap is it might be your level, below it…"  
"Or many levels above, he could make a Rune that ends up killing him!" Blake gasped her eyes full of worry an expression that made me feel better as Velvet nodded.

"Yes, it is a bit of a risk to have a Partisan just start drawing and hoping what comes up! We do not have a _hard_ level cap as humans so there is a possibility that levels simply do not stop but we run out of XP to keep going. But the more he does this…"  
"The more chance of him dying in the process," Blake growled as Velvet nodded.

"Exactly. It's a risky option but one that has the potential to unlock rewards that would be otherwise impossible or very rare to"

"Enough. I have heard all I need to know. Jaune you will stop experimenting with Runes. No more, after this, you will only do Runes that Velvet has pre-authorized if you have another… _vision_ then you will tell Velvet exactly what you say in excruciating detail. After that and a thorough investigation you will then draw the safe Rune do I make myself clear?" Weiss's tone made it clear that this was not an option.

"Yes. I understand."  
"Good. Now that we have this unpleasantness to deal with let's take some time to get ready, we will go Grimm hunting soon, if we all are at level thirty I believe that we can launch our first dungeon raid if our leader is up for it." Weiss said the danger gone allowing a more playful look to come across her face.

"I do, I think it would be good to get our feet wet sooner or later," I said nodding a smile on my lips as Blake bent down to whisper into my ear.

"I don't know what you did but I know you are hiding things. I know that you did not like but you are keeping things from them. If this is serious tell me, you can trust me." Blake hissed Velvet's ears twitched as she gave Blake a bewildered look before shrugging.

"Anyway, that is all that I have Jaune is going to be ok, as long as he keeps in good mental health-"

"What happens if he is not in good health?" Blake asked as Velvet pause a curious look coming over her eyes.

"I do not know the records never said what happens if your mental health deteriorates but maybe Jaune will show us? It should not be that bad right? " Velvet asked as I had an odd sinking feeling as I thought that maybe I should stop doing what a demon no matter how friendly that demon might have been…

/ / /

"Forge," I said as the armor melted and formed I had decided to use my now apparently maxed level Armor smithing skill, I was now in the process of making myself my own full armored suit. I had had enough of near-death encounters and having a full suit of metal around me seemed a rather decent way of keeping me alive.

" _Shift."_ I hissed as the armor shimmered turning a bright teal color as I narrowed my eyes.  
" _Bend."_ I hissed again the chest plate coming into form, the armor was meant for me a full suit of thick armor, even if I did not have affinity like a hero I could, in my opinion, make up for that with defense.

The armor might not do much but was stronger than my flesh and it would be a good first line of defense when a claw, tooth, fang or talon broke past my guard.

The suit would cover almost every inch of my body but even making it the flaws in my craft were evident and glaring.

 _The joints will get me killed, the armpits, back of the knees and the neck._ Those were the structural weaknesses of the armor I don't know how they came about but it made sense every part of the armor that needed to bend to flex to allow my movement of motion was weaker than the ones that were solid, I would need to watch for that in battle.

" _Form,"_ I said running my hands over the chest finally finishing the centerpiece of the armor as- It happened I felt it that punch to my gut, the feeling of a solid fist slamming into my gut the sudden shock of ice water forcing itself down over my head. I felt a wave of knowledge as my fingers moved on their own.  
I saw my fingers dance carving and forcing a complicated sigil on the armor, I want to stop to scream that my life was in danger but in the end, it was enough the armor was formed but something was on it a good symbol like a twisted broken S was on it as-

 _Reactive plating._ I said the word before I knew that was what I did, _Reactive plating_. The words dance on my tongue as I glared down at the armor in my hand I had no idea what the hell this was but I knew that whatever it was I knew that it was important…

/ / /

I did not remember a time when Ozpin was surprised but now? Looking down at my armor that I made? He looked ready to hug me.  
"Fascinating, you say that this is called Reactive Plating?" Ozpin asked looking over my arm piece as I nodded.

"Yes sir, I was just making armor and I…"  
"You learned it? It was like moving your arm you do not know how you did it but you just _did?"_ Ozpin asked the wide grin on his lips told me more than I needed to know he knew that I did it by accident and the fact that I had made a _new_ Rune was not a quiet fact. The whole school was in a uproarcOobleck had to be literally pried off me with my Aunt's powers, Port thought I was a gift to Heroes and Ozpin…

"Tell me Jaune what does this do?"  
"I… well sir put it like this when you have armor that gives you a level of protection from harm correct?"  
"Yes, I know how that works go on," Ozpin said giving me a hurry up and get on with it look.

"Well with reactive plating the armor is stronger than most and grants two perfect affinity-

"It grants you affinity!?" Ozpin interrupted looking at me like I had just found the holy grail.  
"I... yes it grants you plus two percent per armor piece."  
"Fascinating... do go on."  
"Very well sir, when the armor is reduced to nothing when the blow that would have struck clean through the armor and done damage to the wearer is dealt instead of striking them owner the plate will… well, it will _react."_

"And that means?"  
"It means that it will nullify the damage sir, _that_ attack no matter what it is. Physical magical or other that one attack will be met with a force and power equal to its own and be nullified. Think of it as a one time shield that will guarantee you a block from any source of damage. Once it's done the armor is destroyed-

"Can you reforge it?"  
"No. I would have to make a whole new piece, once the armor is made it can not be repaired or maintained it can only be used until its destruction."  
"I see… not perfect but Mister Arc? You have done more than enough to make you worth my time as such? Sit back relax and tell me what I Ozpin headmaster of Beacon can do for _you?_ The man said leaning forward his grey eyes glistening as I gulped.

"Sir? What do you mean?" I asked as Ozpin gave a short laugh as he cracked his knuckles.  
"Jaune we had a deal you gain levels make powerful Runes, and then I in return help you out, really this is an even exchange and what did I say about my name? It's Ozpin when we are in private no need to be so formal, you make me feel old!" He said laughing loudly a genuine laugh but slightly forced as I gulped.

"You want to help me?"  
"Want? Jaune I feel obligated to after you have done so much for me! It is only right that I repay you in kind. Tell me what would your heart desire?" _To go home?_ I thought before shaking my head that was asking too much.

"I want to be stronger sir. I need to be stronger." I said as Ozpin paused a smug look on his face as he grinned. "Very well, to do that I will do things two-fold. One, I will grant you access to the Beacon Armory the one you say when I tested you."  
"The one with Knim sir?"  
"The very same. You will get to pick _one_ trinket, weapon, or piece of armor for yourself and yourself alone. After that? I am not only upgrading your annual quest I am offering you a special one. A quest that I do not give out free just so you know."  
"Special how sir?"  
"You said you want to grow stronger correct?"  
"Yes, sir it's the only way to make sure I stay alive."

"And you do know the quickest way to level up?" Ozpin asked as I suddenly felt a sickening feeling in my gut.  
"To kill people, sir?"  
"To kill Hero's specifically but you get my drift. There is a rare first-year mission usually only reserved for second years but! When I see a promising Guild like your own with a young man so very… _capable_ as yourself I can not help but offer them a chance at well proving their mettle so to speak."  
"What is the mission?"  
"Simple, you and your guild will be hunting bandits."  
"Bandits?"  
"Not literally Bandits well maybe some of them _are_ Bandits but rogue Heroes' that are acting as vagabonds and pirates in the detriment of NPCs you are to go there find them and kill them. Do this and not only is the financial reward beyond _any_ that a first year could dream of the experience you will get is almost nothing to scoff at. I expect five maybe _ten_ levels for you and your guild does that sound good?"  
"It does… but do you think we are ready for that?"  
"On the contrary, I know, no, I _insist_ that you are. And there you go, consider this a thank you to you for all you have done, you and your's are now going bandit hunting."  
"I… but where? Were will he hunt them? Will we be staying in Vale? Beacon? Or will we have to travel to the rural lands of the hills?" I asked already thinking humans, I was going to fight other humans people with lives, dreams families?

 _Well, maybe they did not have that Bandits were Bandits after all what did I expect?_ But that logic was wrong Blake was an Assassin and she was a good person. I did not give my own Aunt a dressing down just for the fun times and awkward glares I was getting for the rest of the week that had thankfully gone on without either Glynda or Blake killing one another and-

"Well to what you are going Mister Arc the answer is simple."  
"And that is?" I asked not wanting to play games with him. The man could speak around me for hours and given the what must be an inhuman gap in all of our stats mind games were not one that I could even begin to hope to win.

Hell even Ruby ran _circles_ around me in every matter besides pure Strength and Constitution my two largest stats now sitting at near fifty, one at 44 the other 46, my level in them boosted by Runes was already granting me more power than I once thought possible and I was now able to almost go toe to toe with Yang in a fight, well almost as in I was not knocked flat in one hit. Something that was still going to happen...

"You should ask your whole guild to buy some warmer clothes then any that they have at this moment you will also do good to go into Vale or check out the Beacon canteens to _Aquire_ you food that will not go bad in severe low temperatures and more than your share of socks as in having one or two pairs will more than likely not be enough, because you Jaune, you and your guild are going to _Atlas."_

* * *

 **AN: There we go! Another chapter of Brave Sir done! Jaune has a legit love! Blake has made her choice, the guild is getting ready for a hunt and Jaune has some new toys and a new skill that will be pivotal in the upcoming story! The climax for the first part is close! And after that? Well, who knows? They have to go to Atlas and that will be... _interesting..._ Anyways! Thanks for reading! Dragon Slayer is next! So until then? Stats.**

* * *

 **Stats**

 **Name Jaune Arc**

 **Level 32**

 **Health 240/240**

 **Strength 53 +8 Rune**

 **Charisma 9**

 **Intelligence 12**

 **Perception 21+2**

 **Constitution 60 + 20 Runes and trinket**

 **Dexterity 16+1**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Wisdom 9**

 **Lien 2,635**

 **MP NA**

 **Skills.**

 _ **Stroke the fire.**_ **Creates heat to conduct Blacksmithing warning only your hands are immune to said heat.**

 _ **Armorsmithing level four.**_ **You can create armor for almost all people once you have the material.**

 _ **Rune smithing.**_ **You can mow create moderate Runes of any type.**

 _ **Blunt force.**_ **Your attacks with strength based weapons will now scale up to .75**

 **Metallurgy. You can now forge any object that you can imagine of with metal. Requires resources.**

 **Armorsmithing level 4. You can now make suits of armor custom tailored to your own design.**

 **Reactive Plating level 1. Ability to create a type of special armor that is not only much stronger than normal will block the _first_ attack that would harm the wearer, no matter how powerful the attack is. This armor cannot be repaired or maintained, any damage done to it is permanent and can not be altered.**

 **Common spells.**

 _ **Passive Guts.**_ **Ignores all but** _ **debilitating**_ **attacks to your person.**

 _ **Passive Hardy.**_ **Most poisons are less effective, you get sick fare less often and you will take a small amount of reduced damage from all attacks.**

 _ **Passive Cold dead hands.**_ **Your weapon will never be forced from your hands. So long as you do not willingly let go the only way you can be disarmed is through magical means or if your hands are amputated.**

 _ **Passive Thick skulled.**_ **Due to your lack of Intelligence and high strength any attempts to charm, hex, seduce, trick, or curse you takes double the effort on the aggressor and all effects are halved. You lack the Intelligence to allow these abilities to fully manifest. You also will take** _ **slightly**_ **reduced damage from magic attacks.**

 **Curses.**

 _ **Know no**_ **fear.** **You will know no fear, you will never run from a fight out of fear and will not let your decisions be ruled by fear as long as you are of _sound_ mental health. **

**Items.**

 **Amulet of Revelation. Informs you when you are being hexed, cursed or charmed. Does** _ **not**_ **stop said abilities but will lessen effects.**

 **Compass. A cursed compass of demonic origin points you where you** _ **need**_ **to go.**

 **Charm of Constitution plus five Constitution**

 **Demonic sigil. Allowing you to communicate with denizens of the twelfth plane of torment and more.**

 **Unknown script. A strange script on your weapons hilt what it means is unknown it appears to be demonic in origin...**

 **Cursed plate. No step back. If applied you will not run from the first enemy you see, your first motion is always towards danger no matter how severe said danger.**


	8. Reaper's Keeper part one Heart to Heart

**AN: OK! We are back with more Brave Sir Robinson! A much more _calm_ chapter this time! Setting up the finale of the first Arc! Coming soon, in this Jaune talks with his friends, starts to realize that maybe being a hero is not that bad? And he has a heart to heart with Ruby as he realized that not every hero class has it so easy... all this and more in Brave sir Robinson!**

* * *

 _"Bandits?"_ I asked still not knowing why Ozpin was going to send us let alone me to do Bandit hunting. We barely had experience fighting Grimm let alone rouge heroes. The Warlock nodded his grey eyes glittering as he put his shoulder on the table as he leaned in.

"That is what I am _going_ to send you on. I believe that you are more than ready to do this. You and your guild."  
"But sir… Weiss has asked me to not take risks that would put me in excess harm's way." I had made Weiss a bit too concerned recently and I did not want to worry my partner any more than necessary

"Jaune let me ask you this. The longer you are in Beacon the longer you are in danger yes?" The Warlock asked I nodded he made sense the longer I was here the more danger I would be in.  
"That makes sense."  
"Good. Now think of it like this you will be here for your tenure and the longer you are under leveled the less likely the chance that you are going to make it out in one piece. You need to gain levels yes?"  
"I do, but I have been gaining levels, sir."  
"Jaune what did I say about calling me sir when we are in private?"  
"I'm sorry… Ozpin.'  
"Good. Now let's look at it from another direction. You need to level up. Killing humans or other heroes is the single fastest way to do it. If you go on this mission you will level up several tears." Ozpin said giving me a knowing look as I stared him down. I knew that this was a logical thing to do. Fighting other heroes would allow me to level up quickly but it would also put me in more danger.

 _Isn't it better to level up slower but safer? Take the easy road and you might be in slightly more overall danger but for the day to day issues I will be safer right?_ I thought as Ozpin gave me a grin.  
"You will succeed on this quest, take your guild. Tell them that the time has come for all of them to prove their worth. I look forward to your continued success." Ozpin said as I gulped I knew this was probably a bad idea, Ozpin had been good to me so far but I was still probably just a tool to him. A tool to be used and then discarded.

"Thank you, sir, I will think about it."  
"Do decide soon. If you do not give me a negative answer soon I will assume that you are agreeing to go on the mission."  
"I understand."  
"Good. Then good day and I hope that your guild sees things the same way that we do." Ozpin answered as I stood up my armor clicking as I made my way out of the room Ozpin smiled gently at me as I felt pinpricks of ice water run down my back as I left the room and went out into the hallway.

/ / /

"Bandits?" Weiss's answer was about all that I could expect, we sat in the well-lit dinner hall the guild had more or less gathered around me. Blake on my right Weiss on the left. Both looking at me like I had grown another arm.

"He thinks we should be killing Bandits? Does he know that the majority of us are not that high leveled?" Blake asked her voice still just as sharp cut into me like a dagger as I winced.

"I don't know babe, he told me that that was the offer and that if we did not want to take it we had to tell him or else we will involuntarily sign up.'  
"I see, this might makes sense… yes, now that I think about it this might be helpful!" Weiss hit the palm of her hand with a fist, a small smirk on her face as her crystal eyes locked onto mine.

"Jaune I am assuming that you have never killed another person have you?" Weiss asked her crystal blue eyes burrowing into me as I shook my head.  
"What? No not in my lifetime. I've killed Grimm but not people." I answered honestly a small shiver running down my spine the thought of killing another person sent a small shiver down my back. A gust of an icy breeze that rattled my spine and rolled down my legs like flakes of snow before settling on my feet.

"Well, then this can serve as an _excellent_ source of experience. The sooner you level up the sooner we can all be safer."  
"And the more of that cool fucking armor you can make for us. Seriously I want a set." Yang said smirking the _Reactive Armor_ that I had learned to make was soon a hot commodity in Beacon I could barely walk out of a class without being almost swarmed and mobbed by people begging me to make them armor.

Offering money, tools, potions, sometimes their own _bodies_ for some of the women before I refused them. I barely had time to make some armor for myself that and selling Runes through Roman was making a fair amount of coin. That and I had a girlfriend who was looking at the women who tried to offer me like they were pieces of meat and she a lion.

"Weiss. Jaune has never had to fight another human. How do you know that he will be able to handle it?" Blake my ever loving and protective oddly so girlfriend asked as Weiss paused.

"I don't know."  
"But you still want to put him in danger?"  
"Want? No. Need? Yes. I know _we_ need Jaune to level up as fast as possible and this is the quickest way."  
"Why not take him to the forest? Killing Grimm with him seemed to work fairly well." Velvet said as she perked up our Maid who was not a Maid chipped in. The Scholar smiled her soft brown eyes seemed to shimmer with kindness as she added in on our conversation.

"It has worked so far but time is not always on our side. We will need to do an annual quest sooner or later be that a dungeon or not. So we all need to be a highly leveled as possible and if we do this quest we will be more than leveled up for our next year in Beacon."

"That… what if he gets hurt?" Blake asked a hand falling onto mine, I blushed my face heating up my lover's smooth pale hand gripped my own as I flustered.

"Stop looking like you enjoy it!" Weiss hissed as she kicked my shin I yelped in pain as she rolled her eyes.

"If he gets hurt that _is_ unfortunate. Some pain is required to be a hero. He was never going to get out of this without some scratches on him and it's better to see him prepared then watch him fail and die when he meets a Grimm that is overpowering him and we are not there to help. It's better to train him together." Weiss added Blake looked ready to argue before sighing.

"Fine. But we need to prepare."  
"Of course, on that, I agree. We need to all be as well prepared as possible. Jaune I know that this is a lot to ask but do you think that you can make your armor for all of us? If so how long do you think that will take?"

"I… I don't know. I would have to see how long it would take to finalize my own armor first." I admitted I had no idea how long it would take to forge my own full armor set, even with the ones I had done before I needed to _perfect_ the craft before I would allow anyone to wear it my inner perfectionist at work.  
"Is there anything you need? Metals?"  
"I would like steel. That and bronze seem to make a good basis." I had no idea why that particular combination of metal made it so easy for me to melt it into armor but it did work.

"Ok, we will acquire that. Velvet?"  
"I'll look for it."  
"Good. Jaune?"  
"Yes?"

"Get ready me and you need to go to town…"

/ / /

"A _fresh one!_ Right here!" Yang said slamming down a finished mug of mead, I groaned my head swam by body was not used to drinking this much. The Brawler laughed her long flowing blonde hair shimmered in the light of the smoky room. The sound of laughing conversation, arguing and the occasional threat-filled the air as I groaned. Taking another drink from my mug the rich warm ale flooded down my mouth in a refreshing way as I gasped slamming the mug down as my eyes began to roll.

My vision spun my Constitution was pushed to the absolute limit, from the sheer amount of poison that was being forced into me by my friend.

"AH! Now that is a good drink! Since when did you drink?" Yang asked her words a bit slurred between me and her she had polished off more than ten mugs combined, the massive wooden holsters stacked to the side of our table. The empty jugs of our meal were the only remnant of our supposed supply run.

Weiss had taken me into town to buy some crystals for her. She said she used them for spell casting and that we should get them so she could teach me a bit about magic. Not that she taught me much, Yang had invited herself along and after some resistance, Weiss relented and now?

Now Weiss was _somewhere_ in the city probably looking for me worried sick and Yang looked drunk off her ass as she slurped down another fresh mug of mead, slamming it down with a _thud!_ As she polished off her seventh mug of ale.

"I don't really drink Yang." I offered trying to calm her down and not let her continue drinking, a fact that was looking more and more unlikely to occur as she gave me an evil eye.  
"Don't you fucking lie to me! I know what a drunker looks like when I see you! You drink more than me!" Yang said pointing an accusing finger towards me her head shaking lilac eyes began to roll up as the young woman who still looked like the sunflowers she grew in her room began to wilt.

"Ok. You have had too much to drink." I said reaching over pulling the mead mug with just a bit of liquor left Yang looked like I had stabbed her hand.

"Hey! Back off! That's mine! You had your mead!"  
"And I am not drunk yet."  
"Because you cheat!"  
"Cheat at _drinking?"_  
"Yes! You are a dirty cheater!" Yang said pointing a shaky finger in my general direction the blonde woman was panting sweating up a storm as I sighed.

"Yang I'm not cheating at drinking, for one it's not a competition you know?"

"That's what you say! But you only say that cause you are winning!" Yang tittered forward her head threatening to crash on the table as I groaned.

"Ok! We are getting out of here. Thank you for the food!" I said putting down several gold coins before taking Yang's arm lifting it over my head as I pulled her to her feet. My legs struggled to lift the woman as she smirked.

"Oh? Finally getting handsy with me huh? That kitty not kinky enough for you?" Yang slurred my nose twirled her breath reeked of liquor and meat as I fought the urge to vomit.

"No Yang she is kinky enough."  
 _She put a spell on you_. I thought before shaking my head a thought for another time. I reasoned as I slowly worriedly help the Brawler out of the bar, Yang laughing her ass off as we made our way into the night.

/ / /

To say that the night had _not_ gone well was an understatement. Not only had I totally lost Weiss a fact I lamented all the more as time dragged on I was stuck with Yang. She was on my shoulder yelling in a low slurring voice about how I cheated her in drinking and that she was going to break a chair on Qrow's back when she saw him. Whoever the hell that was.  
As the Brawler rattled on and I carried dragged her through the streets of Vale a thought passed in my head-

"And then! He turned into a fucking bird and flew into my mom's hair! Oh, it was fucking great-

"Yang, can I ask you a question?" I asked knowing that Yang would more than likely forget about this in the morning she was beyond plastered and was soon probably going to be vomiting up her dinner in the nearest street alleyway.  
"Sure, wazzup?" Yang asked slurring her words as I paused, a thought was in my head a small treacherous lingering thought that simply refused to go away. It had been nagging at me for some time after my meeting with Ozpin and she was just about perfect to talk to.

"Yang, do you regret being a hero? You know being born into your class?"  
"What? Why would I regret that? I'm fucking awesome!" She said clasping her wrists her level three grieves thanks to me made a small shower of sparks fly out as I sighed.

"No, what I mean is what if you could be something different? Like what if you could change your class would you do it?"  
"What? Course not! Why are you asking?"

"I... I was thinking..."  
"K. Go one what are you thinking about? Can't be that much, you are dumber than me!" Yang said loudly I winced the hit to my pride was a deep one, I had been trying to learn to read Script but it was so far an effort in futility. I could make Runes to boost my intelligence but at the cost of health and damage? The pay off to read a few lines of tome was nowhere near enough.

"I... What if you could go and be a farmer? You know plant your flowers in peace would you?"  
"Nope." Her response came smooth and quick it caught me off guard, I had been hoping she would say yes, and that she had doubts about being a hero.  
"But your garden. Don't you want to do that full time?"  
"Want to? Maybe but that's not where I'm needed."  
"Where you are needed?"  
"Yup! I am a _Brawler!_ I brawl is what I do! I am meant to kill monsters and save people! Sure planting is cool and all but it's not for me! It's not where I can do the greatest good you know?"  
"The greatest good?"  
"Yeah! Old hero philosophy. You must adhere to the greater good! Do the most good that you can! Pick a life choice that will benefit the most around you! or something like that. Why do you ask? You thinking of offing yourself?"  
"No! And don't say that! But I was wondering... with my new skill where... where you do you think I can do the greatest good?"  
"Duh. Here with us. You are our friend and our guild master."  
"Only because Weiss thinks taxation is theft."  
"That too but you are also our friend. You can do the most good where you are right now." Yang said smiling as I sighed not the answer I was looking for but it was the answer I got. I put her arm even more over my should as she began to snore I rolled my eyes thinking about what was the greater good as I carried the drunken Brawler down the quiet city street as the shattered moon guided my feet.

/ / /

"What is wrong with you!?"  
"Weiss I can-  
"Not you!" Blake _and_ Weiss said yelling at a passed out Yang sleepy loudly, on the guild's moldy couch. The Brawler had barely made it home without vomiting, the woman had been closed so close! To making it to a bath before she vomited over the side of the kitchen counter fully missing the sink and hitting Weiss _right_ in her hair. The _shriek_ of fury that left her mouth would haunt me for the rest of my life. I thought Weiss was going to literally beat Yang's skull in with her can an action stopped only with the _combined_ might of Nora, Ren and myself holding her back at once.

The Mage had spent a good half an hour getting the vomit out of her hair, Ruby had to hold her to the sink and Nora had to _literally_ hold her back as she let Ruby and Velvet wash out her hair. Yang passed out on the couch not even offering an apology as she slept like a log-

"DEAD! She is dead! I want to wring her neck! I'm going to freeze her hair then snap it off! I am-

"Weiss! Please! Don't be that-

The look she gave me could have made an Ursaw qual, Weiss's eyes showed a cold fury that made every inch of my want to scream crawl away into a corner and become as small as humanly possible to escape the tiny Mages wrath.

"Are you _defending_ her?" Weiss's voice case a wave of ice that appeared on my chest I felt the temperature of the room drop a fair degree as Weiss glowered her eyes at me.

"I! Not at all! Just don't hit someone when they are down?"  
"That's the best time to hit them," Blake added more irritated than anything. She had shadowed us when Yang invited herself along. She made sure that nothing that bad happened to me but she had taken a side of vomit from the Brawler and looked ready to stab her in her spine.

"Now girls! Please, just wait for a second!" I said holding my hands up I did not want to be caught between the glacial stare of Weiss and the _demanding_ stare of Blake who was looking at me like I had just stabbed her in her back.

"Jaune? Are you defending Yang over your own girlfriend?" Blake asked a dagger hit me in my side. I winced in pain as I shook my head.

"It's not like that!"  
"It looks like that."  
"Sure does."  
"Off with his knees!"  
"Nora!" I hissed the Barbarian grinning from the back eating out of a small bowl of popped corn as Ren sighed.

"I apologize for her, but this _is_ entertaining." The Monk said eating out of the same bowl as her an infuriating smirk on his lips as I growled.

"Look! Yang is our friend! My friend! Please don't do anything to her that will make this worse-

 _"MY HAIR!_ Jaune, she vomited on my hair! When do you think I can go to sleep without smelling that stench!? We can't afford soap!" Weiss screamed her face redder that Ruby's hair her eyes wides as saucers and an unpleasant aroma coming from her hair that made my stomach squirm.

"Jaune can afford soap. He's got three thousand gold on him." Nora said munching on the popped corn the air left the room as Weiss looked at me like a mad dying of dehydration looked at a glass of ice water.

"Weiss?"  
" _Jaune…_ you are my partner and as my partner as my charge. I need to make sure that you are in the best shape possible. And I do that by being in the best shape possible myself-

"I will buy you some soap.' I cut off Weiss as she smiled.  
"Good! I'm glad that we came to an agreement-  
"Jaune do you _want_ to buy her soap?"  
"Blake!?"  
"Belladonna…"  
"What? I won't have you taking advantage of him just because you can not dodge." Blake said flippantly Weiss looked ready to beat her over the head with her staff.  
"Jaune is my partner and if he wants to help me! Which he _should!_ Then he can buy me all the soap-

"OH! Jaune cam buy us meat! Ren-

"No." The monk said simply cutting off Nora as she paused.  
"But-

"No."  
"What if we-

"N.O."  
"But!"  
"No."  
"You are not fun!"  
"Jaune is our friend, not a bank," Ren said as Nora looked at him like he had drop kicked a kitten.  
"Not ok! Jaune is our bank!"  
"Friend. She means you are _our_ friend." Ren correct sighing rubbing his head as Nora pouted.  
"It's fine. But can we not attack Yang in her sleep please?" I begged not really wanting to deal with any guild interruptions as Weiss groaned.

"You are buying me the _most_ expensive soap you can afford!"  
"I.. fine.'  
"And you are _not_ spending all your money on it!" Blake hissed oddly angrily pulling me to her side her chest squishing my arm making all my worries melt away.

 _So soft, I wonder what the feel like without her shirt? AH! Bad Jaune! Don't think of her like that! What if someone thought about your sisters that way!?_ I mentally chastised myself as I shook my head.

 _Bad Jaune! Blake can probably tell what you are thinking! What if she-_

"Fine! But she will get an earful come tomorrow!" Weiss said the tension slowly bleed out as she huffed upstairs, taking the steps one at a time thumping them with her boots as she pounded up them.  
"I'm taking a shower!" Weiss shouted back down as she vanished from our view. "Careful Weiss! I didn't get a chance to do maintenance! The Rune for hot water might still be off!" Velvet shouted up after her not sure if Weiss heard her the sound of pouring water cut through the shabby thin walls as Black sighed.

"I'm going to bed. Don't stay up late ok?"  
"Unless she's keeping you at night, I mean she does go into your room and geh!" Nora gagged Ren covering her mouth offer a quick apology to us.  
"Sorry," Ren said silencing Nora as Blake shot her a glare. As my lover left Ruby zipped out of the kitchen where she had been hiding.

"Sorry Jaune! I'll make sure she hears it tomorrow!" The Reaper said lifting or trying and failing to lift Yang who was pure dead weight-  
"Help!"  
"I got you!"  
"Why are you so big!?" Ruby asked as Pyrrha came to help the two carrying Yang upstairs as I sighed and got ready for bed.

/ / /

" _So, women am I right?"_

"Are you? You are a demon what do you really know about women?" I asked whispering into my Rune. This time I was keeping my voice as low as humanly possible, in fear of summoning my overprotective lover.

" _Do I know a lot about women? Jaune I have been here longer than you damn world. I watched you grow literally. I know what females want."_  
"Because you are one?" I asked as Knim sighed I _felt_ her eyes roll as she sighed in the Rune.  
 _"That is the least of my reasons but yes, for now, I am a female."_

"What does that mean?"  
 _"It means that don't ask questions! Now did you make the Rune I told you to?"_  
"Yes! I was able to craft the two!" I said as I held up twin small Runes one that looked like a half circle with three wavy lines down the middle that reminded me of blades of grass. The later a series of squiggles with a tip over them

"How will this help me though?"  
 _"Simple. That will allow you to break any seal."_  
"Any seal?"  
 _"Yup! With that thing, you can break me out of my damn contract with Ozpin! I'll take the Warlock down and you can get whatever you want! You want to be a Peasant again am I right?"  
_ My demon asked as I paused, my breath froze in my chest as I gulped. I did want to go back but a nagging voice in my head told me that I was doing good. After I had unlocked my latest skill _Reactive Armor_ I had been feeling _needed._ Like I should be doing this... the idea of my being forced to come here was still a negative but the fact that I could help people? That was different, I had a power I had seen it manifest itself, there was something only I could do-

" _Oh? I know that smell doubt? Do you have doubt? Is that the first sign of reconsidering I sense? You think that you might be able to do more good as a hero than you could ever do as a Peasant?"_ The demon asked her voice unbearably smug as I growled.

"No! It's not like that! I want to go and save my family but…"  
 _"But, you are thinking of other families? How many other families are out there? How many of them can be saved or benefited if you stay here to continue to fight and level up? Who knows what other skills you might unlock that could literally be life or death for hundreds if not thousands of people?"_ She hit the nail dead on the head, her words punched me in the gut as I was right the idea of the possibility of me saving people was in theory limitless.

" _Think about it Jaune, how many people can you save? You can literally never stop leveling up you know?"_

 _And every time I level up I gain skills, and in theory, since there is an unknown number of Runes able and new ones are found every time, I could just keep going! I could find skills and abilities that have never been discovered before! I could do real good for the world!_ The idea of me saving people, lots of people hundreds of thousands of people was crushing. The weight of a decision that had once been me going home become much more complicated-

 _"If you go home sure you might be safe but at what cost? How many families heroes and others will be put in danger for your safety? Your return to your home and family might make them happy but would you do it if it would condemn hundreds of other families along the way?"_

"I, don't know-

' _What would your mother say? What would your sisters say if they knew that you coming home meant the loss of hundreds of other families, couples, sisters, brothers would never see their mothers sisters or fathers again all because you wanted to go home? Would they even look at you the same way after?"_ The demon asked her voice high and curious not hostile but curious she wanted to know what _I_ was going to say. She wanted to know what I was thinking and I did not know for sure.

"I don't know…"  
 _"You don't know or you don't want to say it?"_  
"I! I don't know… I want to help people."  
 _"Then you stay in Beacon. You can help much more people here than you did home."_  
"But! I miss my family!"  
 _"So? You can still visit them. You can still see them even Ozpin said that."_  
"You told me not to trust Ozpin remember?"  
 _"I do, and I still stand by that trust him and you die, but that's beside the point. He's not stupid, as long as you are a good tool for him he won't do anything to harm you."_

"Then he's on my side?"  
 _'Not at all. He wants you dead, he wasn't everyone like you dead."_  
"He wants to kill Peasants!?"  
 _"Runesmiths. Your kind are a threat to him and he needs you dead. He just needs you to do something for him first. Once you do what he wants? That's your neck."_  
"But he trusted me to go kill Bandits…"  
" _That will level you faster. He still wins."_

"But what if I die?"  
" _You are not the only Runesmith he has. Your loss is regrettable maybe more so with your skill but if you die? He'll just make sure you teach another Runesmith your techniques so your knowledge will be passed on._ "

"But we can stop it right! You know a way to stop him from killing me?"  
 _"Know? Yes. Can we do it? That is where things are less clear. Ozpin is no fool-_

" I can free you now! I can run into this office-

" _And get killed or worse. He let you see me the first time, that's not happening twice if you want a swing literally at me again you will need to sneak in and even with your Rune you need to actually be near me to use it. Put it on your blade already."_ I compiled the Rune fit on the blade's pommel _Obscurus_ took the Rune easily as I sighed. The blade's pommel glowed purple as I finally set it in.

"Good. Done now what?"  
 _"Now? You need to wait a bit. That blade is now capable of breaking any kind of demonic seal no matter the power level. You can cut open any demons holding area with it."_  
"Wait… I can just free demons?" I asked the thought of demons wandering the land did not sit well with me, not in the slightest. Knim was friendly enough but that was only because she wanted something from me and we had mutual goals. I was under no illusions that she may have her own goals wants and needs that run fully contradictory to my own and she was just biding her time, waiting to strike.

 _"Listen you can free demons but should that be your goal? If you want an early death yes."_  
"I.. I don't want that."  
 _"Then stick to me. I want to get the hell out of this place. I have to desire to stay on this plane a second longer than I have to- Go to sleep I'll talk with you later on in the morning. The second Rune is critical, trust me you will need it."_ Knim hushed as I fell hard my breath went still my ears strained searching for the slightest hint of noise. I heard nothing my room was still as death quiet as a grave no sounds no noise but my own breath filled the air.

 _Calm, don't be erratic, breathe calm and steady, in and out don't-_

"You talk in your sleep." I heard the voice before anything one second I was alone the next a mass had settled behind me. Blake had somehow snuck into my room crept into my bed without me very knowing it.

 _Must be some kind of spell_ I thought as Blake hooked her arms around my neck, I didn't give an inch forcing my breathing down I wanted o blush and stutter a woman so closed _my_ woman so close-

"You know… you are the first person I've done this with." Blake whispered her voice warm and soft like a summer breeze into my ear, I didn't gulp I didn't move I just laid perfectly still as she whispered.  
"I.. I'm sorry."

 _Sorry for what?_  
"I know I'm not a good partner… I'm not very good at the romance thing… I'll use manipulate and abuse you before long.

 _That's not a good sign._

"But… I'll be good to you… I've picked you, you know? You are mine I can't pick another partner… I.. dammit I wish you were awake I could explain this better or maybe I couldn't… Just know no more half measure I said it before and I mean it. I'm with you for better and worse." Blake said hugging me from being I gulped that time letting the hug take me loving how soft and warm she felt-

"But you really need to stop sleep talking it's not good for you," Blake added as I mentally sighed as I hoped I would get some sleep tonight.

/ / /

" _Burn,"_ I said as I pushed my hands down I watched the metal flow like water on a stream I saw the metal turn bright white as I forced it down into the forefront. I winced focusing the energy down into the metal as I gripped it.

" _Mold."_ The words flowed out of my lips I saw the metal twisting my fingers kneaded it like a maker would mold dough, or a sculptor would mold clay. I took the metal forcing it down the energy flowing through me felt like a furnace as I forced the metal to morph and change. I smiled as the armor glowed a bright white color the armor was-

"Finished," I said as I finally finished the chest piece. It had taken me all day but I had done it. Three pieces of reactive armor. A chest plate and two sabatons. Fully covering my arms and chest letting no part of them be exposed to the outside.

A smile crept on my face as the armor was finally finished. The three armor pieces would have to so.  
"Alright now I can work on the others," I said aloud placing the armor to the side of my bed-

" _Amazing,"_ Blake spoke from behind me I almost yelped! I forgot she was even there!

Blake's eyes narrowed in on the armor that I had just forged the metal turning from what was once hard slabs into a molten liquid only to reform into solid bright blue chest plating as Blake's wide amber eyes locked onto them.

"You did that?"  
"I.. yes?"

"Incredible… do you think you can do it for me?"  
"I'll try," I told her the absolute truth. I had no idea how long it would take to fully armor the guild as a whole. We had some tall people and my armor alone took up a good chunk of coin. Almost a thousand gold coins to make my own armor and with over seven other members to arm and equip? That was going to take a lot of gold and time.

"So you can make them," Weiss spoke she nodded her crystal blue eyes never leaving the armor set as I nodded.

"Yes. I can make more of them." I confirmed I knew that I could make more I just needed the time.

"Good. You need to practice on a guild member. I won't ask you to make us full suits eyes but everyone should have at least _one_ piece on them. I'll go around and ask the others what part of the body the want o be covered. Until then, good job, I'm proud of you." Weiss said smiling a rare genuine smile as she walked out of my room as I sighed.

"That took a lot," I said wincing my shoulders hung heavy I felt like sandbags were placed on them. Blake put her hands on them in a second focusing as-

"Your muscles are sore. You need a break. Tell me what is it like to make the armor?"  
"What's it like?"  
"How do you fell? I know Mage's use mana to cast spells do you have a specific Runesmith resource that you use?"  
"Not that I know, it's just taxing to make them."

"Rest, if you are tired you won't be any good in a fight ok?" Blake asked rubbing my shoulders Weiss came back a second later seeing Blake rubbing my shoulders she paused.

"Is something wrong?"  
"He's sore. The armor smithing took it out of him."  
"Your health is still full thank Oum but take a break."  
"But what about the Grimm hunt?" Today was the guilds money day, while we did technically have free rent we still needed money to do our basic day to day needs. Food, water etc it all cost gold and killing Grimm gave us that, I was supposed to go with the guild to hunt in the forest but Weiss apparently decided against that for some reason?

"We can do this for the time, we only need money to provide dinner for the next day or so. We can do this just fine."

"I.. Blake?"  
"We can do this, you can rest we can hunt Grimm tomorrow ok?"

"I… ok."  
"If it makes you feel any better Ruby is not coming either."  
"She's not?"  
"She is not feeling well so she'll be here with you ok?"

"I.. sure that's good?" I asked Weiss was winching Blake's eyes narrowed to slits as she huffed.

"Fine. Be that way." Blake said walking past he shaking her hips in a far too obvious way to be accidental my jaw began to drop before a gust of wind came and forced it to shut.

" _Down boy._ She'll be back later. Men, they are all the same." Weiss sighed following Balke out lowering her staff the gust of wind making me blush as I sighed the two girls leaving me alone in the room as I laid back in my bed.

The time for action was getting close, I needed to make a choice to be a Hero or a Peasant. As much as I did not want to admit it Knim had a point… I could no I _will_ save more people in Beacon. I can save hundreds if not thousands of lives if I stay here. If I go home? Sure I would like it but many more people families will suffer for it.

"Jaune? You in there?" Ruby's voice came from the outside of my door the reaper knocked opening the door silver orbs filled my vision Ruby slinked in looking dejected like she was deflated.

"Ruby? What's wrong?"  
"I.. can we talk alone?" Ruby asked not meeting my eyes as I nodded.

"Of course we can."

"Thanks. I need to talk to you and this is important."  
"Do you want to talk here?"  
"No… can we go somewhere else I have a spot in mind."  
"Of course let's go," I said as Ruby nodded as I force mays up as I followed the _not_ so killer sociopath outside…

/ / /

When we did get to were Ruby wanted us to go it was on top of a small hill on the outskirts of Beacon.

"Here, this works out," Ruby said the smaller girl stopping on the crest of the hill, the sun was high in the sky but was slowly starting to fall, Ruby looked off. She seemed smaller than normal and Ruby was always small. The reaper looked at me with silver eyes that seemed ready to burst into tears a forlorn look in her normally cherry eyes.

"Ruby? What's the problem?"  
"I… Jaune do you ever wonder what you are doing?"  
"What am I doing?"  
"Yeah… do you ever wonder why you are here?"  
"Because I was kidnapped from my village?" My response earned me a kick on my shin. Not a hard kick but it stung a bit.

"Don't be a smart ass."  
"Sorry. What's wrong?"  
"I… the dungeon."

 _Oh come one Ruby, I thought we sorted this out?_  
"The dungeon? What about it? Don't tell me you still want to take it?"  
"I do! But I know that we can't do it yet… And I still think we should go to Atlas! But…"  
"But?"

"Have you ever really wondered if you are here to help?"

"Ummm yes?"  
" You do!?"  
"Well at first I didn't know what I was here for... I thought I was basically kidnapped to be a slave for others but not? Now I'm starting to think differently."  
"Different how?"  
"I... I know I can help people. I know there might be something only _I_ can do. And I know that if I go home as much as I will like it as good as it will make me feel it will be putting others in jeopardy. I don't like being here but I know this might be a placed that I need to be. For the greater good."  
"I... I'm not like you... I'm a hero but I can't even begin to think about the _greater good!_ I'm starting to think I'm broken..."

"Ruby, I don't know what's wrong but if you want to talk I'm here ok?" Something was wrong with Ruby something bad something was eating her from the inside out and she was trying to tell me about it. She looked scared her hands shaking she took a deep breath as she gulped.

"It's my class." The girl said her head down the word _Reaper_ hung over her head in bright bold red letters. I paused I had no idea what that would be-

 _Don't be an idiot._ Knim's voice rang in my head knocking some sense into me as I paused.  
"Ruby?"  
"I… when we had our talk Blake and Weiss went to talk to me…"  
"And?"  
"They asked me to come on a trip to Atlas."  
"Is that strange? You are our friend and guildmate, of course, you are coming with us to Atlas!" I said smiling widely my mood had no effect as Ruby let out another sigh.  
"Jaune. Do you want to be a hero?"  
"I… I don't know." Ruby's eye's perked up as she cocked her head.  
"You don't know?"  
"At first I didn't, I wanted to go home, but now? With this armor skill? No one else has it, I could save peoples lives with it, Ruby. I could potentially do more good in a year of being a hero than I would do in a lifetime at home. I have a real chance to help people-

"That's it! That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Ruby shouted suddenly brought back to life a passion burned in her eyes as the flashed a bright silver.

"You! You can help people! You have skills that can help people!"  
"And? What does this have to do with anything?"  
"Because I don't! I don't have a single skill to help others! I don't have a single skill that I can use to help people! Everyone else does! You have armor, Ren can calm others, Weiss can cast spells to aid the whole party! She can even make cold and hot water appear in the guild! Even Nora can shout out a spell to help us! I can't do that! I can't do any of that!"  
"What are you talking about Ruby? You always help! You can kill Grimm better that even Nora!" I said trying to talk some sense into Ruby was talking in circles! Why did she think that she could not help the party what was she thinking-

"That's the point!" Ruby screamed her fists balled so tight she _shook_. Her body shaking like it was being shaken by a giant hand as tears fell from her eyes.

"I can _kill!_ Everything about me is about killing! I don't have a single ability that can actually _help_ someone! All I can do is kill things!"  
"Is that bad? I mean we fight monsters what's so bad about being able to kill the things that we fight?"

"They are not meant for monsters! All my abilities! Each and every one of them is meant to kill _people!_ The only thing that is almost not is my passive but that just allows me to kill easier!"  
"What's your passive?" I asked I had no idea how or if I could calm the Reper down something had gotten into her and sunk its teeth _deep_.

 _"Red like Roses…_ it halves any damage I take when I blur and increases my attack speed with my weapons. It also makes me much harder to hit."  
"I.. that's not-

" _Cut."_  
"Cut?"  
" _Cut._ It's one of my basic abilities. Whenever I slash something with my blade the would bleed."  
"That's… good? Doesn't cutting anything with anything make it bleed?"  
"No. When _I_ Cut something the wound sticks. The wound itself takes longer to close and the amount of blood that you lose is amplified by my second passive _Exsanguinate."_  
"Ex… what?"  
"It means that when I cut you not only does the wound take longer to closed the amount of blood you lose is dramatically increased. And the amount of blood that you lose goes up per cut. For every hit of the blade, all of your wounds bleed _faster_. You lose blood quickly and dies faster." Ruby almost spat out the words as I gulped.

"That's… that's not so bad-

" _Slice._ That's my basic attack. It's the spell I used when I attack."  
 _She uses a spell to attack? Doesn't she just swing?  
_ "I swing my blade at an opponent with a good chance to sever an artery or something else vital. If the attack land the wound will get exsanguinated and will work with _Cut_ to make you die much quicker. Even worse! I like it!"  
"You like it?"

"I like death!" Ruby shouted her tears now following freely fat ugly things that made my heart churn.  
"You like death?"  
"Yes! I love it! The idea of killing it! It's just so _GOOD!"_ Ruby shouted a faint tremor going through her body as a wide _loopy_ smile split her face. Her body shook and shuddered as a look of rapture came over her before she shook her head the look of bliss replaced with disgust.

"You like death-

"Specifically human death… Jaune when you sleep tell me do you dream?"  
"Sometimes…"  
"What do you dream about?"  
"I dream about my family, friends, sometimes Blake." _Without her clothes._ I thought before shaking that out of my head. This was not a time to be joking I needed to be serious for Ruby's sake if nothing else. This was obviously bothering her and I had to be supportive even if I was not fully away of what was going on.

"I dream of _blood,"_ Ruby said her voice changing pitch in a heartbeat. Going from angry shaky and brittle to deep resonant and strong. A hand gripped my neck, the hairs rose on my skin as I felt like I was suddenly in grave danger. My legs began to tremble like there was a tremor going through them I felt scared, more terrified than I had ever been before. I felt like every nightmare I had ever had every childhood dream of a boogeyman was going to burst out in front of me and-

"I dream of _blood._ Human blood. I dream of trees that explode into bright balls of red, I dream of skies than rain crimson drops. I see people I know people I _love_ ripped apart torn into pieces carved up by sharp metal, again and again, that dice their flesh time and time again until it turns them into nothing but clumps of _meat._ I see everyone I know die killed slaughtered and you know what? _I_ do the killing, I kill most of them and I _enjoy_ it!" Ruby said her words carried with them a _weight_ , there was power behind her words, her eyes shined like diamonds her lips despite saying what she no doubt meant to be a heartfelt agony were _twisted_ up in a disturbing smile, she spoke the worlds with a _thirst_ an underlying hunger slipped out of her mouth and ran down her cheeks.

I could feel it, I could taste her hunger her need her desire for blood was overpowering filling me with a level of palpable fear making me want to bend my legs and bolt in the opposite direction as soon as possible. There was something _off_ about her smile beside her smiling at the thought of killing her loved ones the way she grinned the look of pure rapture that spread across her face sent a signal to every last one part of my body to bolt and run the hell away.

As soon as it began it ended. I felt it, my _curse_ kicked it. _And I will know no fear._ It was like a wave of calm washed over me, I still wanted to run oh that was still there. I wanted to turn around and run my ass as far away from my friend as humanly possible! But I did not. One because that would be a cowards move and two? Ruby needed help and I was going to give that to her.

"Ruby… what's going. Please. You say you like killing but come on you have never killed anyone! You have never so much as threatened to harm a guild member! If I had not seen you kill Grimm I would have that you could not hurt a fly! You are our friend and I'm not going to abandon you ok?"  
I surprised even myself, the utter lack of fear running in my body allowed me to make a very logical at least to me reassuring argument as Ruby paused.

Her mouth fell open a gasp left her lips as she shook her head.

"I like killing! It's what I am! Every night I have the _best_ dreams! I loved every _second_ of it when I wake up _screaming_. I know that I just killed my family and I was happy! I'm so damned _happy_ when I hurt people when I see blood human blood spill from a wound!? I can't control myself! Sometimes I half to literally stop my self from licking up my own cuts! Like I'm some kind of leech!" Ruby was becoming hysterical her body starting to quake her legs become wobbly and threatened to fall.

 _She is panicking. Calm her down._  
"Ruby, what is a Reaper?"  
"What?"

"What is a Reaper? What makes a Reaper? You mother is a Ranger and I'm assuming your dad is not a Brawler. How are you a Reaper when none of your parents are?"  
"I... Reapers are a specialized subclass of the Assassin branch. There is no guarantee that any child not born of two Reapers will be one. It's a rare class that can be born to hero or peasant has a chance of giving birth to one if one parent is a Reaper the odds go up by half but even if no parent is one it can still occur, it's a rare birth but Reapers are Oum's way os saying that he does not like you very much.

"Ruby that's not true! You need to calm-  
"No, I will not be calm Jaune!"

"Ruby calm down! You are a good person-  
"No! I'm not! I'm a literal murderer! Every last part of me is made to kill others!"  
"But that's not true! You are my friend! My first friend in Beacon! I know that you are good! You are a good person ok!? Do you hear me!?"

"Your hand!"  
"What?"  
"Your hand! Cut it!"  
"I.. why?"  
"Just do it! I'll show you why I'm not a regular person!"  
"I… ok?" I gave taking out my hand showing it to Ruby, taking Obscurs and slide it down I wince I lost two points of my health dropping two to 238 out of 240 not a major drop but still-

'You smell _delicious."_ Ruby blurred up to my hand _sniffing_ the minor cunt. Blood spilled down painting the palm crimson as I gulped.

"Ruby?"  
"Human blood it smells ** _so_ **much better than Grimm. Grimm smells like burned bread and old meat, human blood smells like pastries!" Ruby said licking her lips a bit of drool leaving her mouth as I felt a shiver run down my spine.  
"Pastries?"

"Like the sweetest bread from a baker! Like honey glazed crepes! It's so good!" Ruby said her hands gripping my wrist making me yelp.

"Ruby!?"  
"I! I want to _taste_ it."  
"You what!?"  
"I want to taste it! I want to lick your blood! I want, ah! I'm fighting to keep from driving my face into it and-  
"Ruby. Calm down-

"You have a strong heart," Ruby said placing my hand to her ear _rubbing_ the blood smearing it on her earlobe as she inhaled.

"My heart?" I asked not a drop of fear in my body but _worry_ , Ruby was not making me afraid but anxious-

"Yes! Your heat it's beating so strong! I just want to see it ripped out of your chest!"  
"NO! No, you don't Ruby you are having a curse or a passive gone wrong! You have to stop!"

"I can't! I'm a monster!"  
"No, you are not!"  
"Yes, I am! Everyone says things about Reapers for a reason! I _want_ to help people! I want to be the hero that everyone looked up to! Not the one that just butchers people! HAve you met another Reaper!? They are insane! Every other Reaper I know loves it! They love killing! They want to do it and I do too! I just can't take this! I-

"Ruby you are not like them! I don't give a fuck about those other Reapers! You! I care about you! You are my friend! I care for you more than almost anyone and you are not a monster! I see it in you! You area good person-  
I gripped Ruby's hand gripping her shaking fingers as hard as I could my blood mixed on her skin painting it-

 _Power._ I felt it raw unhinged power flooded my mouth as a gasp let me as I felt it _knowledge_ pure and simple flooded my mind.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked as I stared at her slack-jawed I felt it a dam break a raven burst in my head as a wave of knowledge crashed into me, it was like a wave as pushed my own as-

 _Rune of Reaping. When the Rune of Reaping is applied all enemies afflicted with it must pay the crimson tithe before they can begin to heal._ I knew it before I could speak. My mind snapped as I narrowed my eyes on Ruby's weapon.  
"Ruby!"  
"Yes!?"  
"Your weapon!"  
"What about it?"  
"Let me see it!" I hissed Ruby compiled to shocked by my words as I gripped her blade I pushed my hands of the blade itself running them along it metal digging my nails into as I hissed.

" _Bend."_  
"Jaune? What are you doing?"  
"Applying a Rune," I spoke as I traced a symbol on the blades, two half circles facing up then a zigzag between them a single droplet of blood in the middle-  
"A Rune?! What kind-  
 _"Rune of Reaping,"_ I said as I finished the work, I did it! A Rune of Reaping! A minor Rune applied and-

"Jaune? Are you ok? You look tired-

"I'm fine! I just-

I never finished the sentence a ringing filled my ears like a shrill bell, my legs lost all power in them and became like jelly, my health dropped I felt like a sword was driven in my side a quarter of my health dropped as I fell to my knees and vomited up a wad of thick _viscous_ crimson blood.  
 _"Jaune?!"_ The Reaper yelled as I fell to my hands as I groaned my eyes rolled into the back of my head as I felt my legs turn to jelly.  
"Maybe I'm _not_ ok," I said as I fell face fore eyes rolled to the back of my head as-  
"Jaune!? Jaune!? JAUNE!? Help!" I heard Ruby yell as consciousness faded and my world went black...

* * *

 **An: Well! That happened! Jaune got to talk with his friends! He and Ruby had a heart to heart! In more ways than one... Jaune has learned a new ability and it might have just cost him! Now that this is done we are close! After the next chapter is the finale to the first part of Brave Sir Robinson! Thanks for reading Branwen is next that will be out sooner than normal so yay! And until then? Have some stats.**

* * *

 **Stats**

 **Name Jaune Arc**

 **Level 32**

 **Health 178/240**

 **Strength 53 +8 Rune**

 **Charisma 9**

 **Intelligence 12**

 **Perception 21+2**

 **Constitution 60 + 20 Runes and trinket**

 **Dexterity 16+1**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Wisdom 9**

 **Lien 1,635**

 **MP NA**

 **Skills.**

 _ **Stroke the fire.**_ **Creates heat to conduct Blacksmithing warning only your hands are immune to said heat.**

 _ **Armorsmithing level four.**_ **You can create armor for almost all people once you have the material.**

 _ **Rune smithing.**_ **You can mow create moderate Runes of any type.**

 _ **Blunt force.**_ **Your attacks with strength based weapons will now scale up to .75**

 **Metallurgy. You can now forge any object that you can imagine of with metal. Requires resources.**

 **Armorsmithing level 4. You can now make suits of armor custom tailored to your own design.**

 **Reactive Plating level 1. Ability to create a type of special armor that is not only much stronger than normal will block the _first_ attack that would harm the wearer, no matter how powerful the attack is. This armor cannot be repaired or maintained, any damage done to it is permanent and can not be altered.**

 **New Skill unlocked. Class Runes Smithing.**

 **Rune's unlocked 1/5  
Due to your familiarity with certain classes, you may now create Rune's specifically made for that class. **

**Minor Rune of Reaping.** _ **When the Rune of Reaping is applied all enemies afflicted with it must pay the crimson tithe before they can begin to heal**. _**A Rune for the weapon of a Reaper. When this blade deals damage _any_ cut made by this weapon that draws even a drop of blood, will force the victim human or not to exsanguinate a total of .9 percent of their _total,_ not current blood volume. If the target attempts to heal the wound before that amount of blood has been lost the effects of the healing no matter how strong will be reversed damaging them and the wound will continue to worsen. This effect stacks and any other cut that draws blood will force the targeted to exsanguinate the given amount before it can be healed.**

 **Common spells.**

 _ **Passive Guts.**_ **Ignores all but** _ **debilitating**_ **attacks to your person.**

 _ **Passive Hardy.**_ **Most poisons are less effective, you get sick fare less often and you will take a small amount of reduced damage from all attacks.**

 _ **Passive Cold dead hands.**_ **Your weapon will never be forced from your hands. So long as you do not willingly let go the only way you can be disarmed is through magical means or if your hands are amputated.**

 _ **Passive Thick skulled.**_ **Due to your lack of Intelligence and high Strength, any attempts to charm, hex, seduce, trick, or curse you takes double the effort on the aggressor and all effects are halved. You lack the Intelligence to allow these abilities to fully manifest. You also will take** _ **slightly**_ **reduced damage from magic attacks.**

 **Curses.**

 _ **Know no**_ **fear.** **You will know no fear, you will never run from a fight out of fear and will not let your decisions be ruled by fear as long as you are of _sound_ mental health.**

 **Items.**

 **Amulet of Revelation. Informs you when you are being hexed, cursed or charmed. Does** _ **not**_ **stop said abilities but will lessen effects.**

 **Compass. A cursed compass of demonic origin points you where you** _ **need**_ **to go.**

 **Charm of Constitution plus five Constitution**

 **Demonic sigil. Allowing you to communicate with denizens of the twelfth plane of torment and more.**

 **Unknown script. A strange script on the hilt of your weapon what it means is unknown it appears to be demonic in origin...**

 **Cursed plate. No step back. If applied you will not run from the first enemy you see, your first motion is always towards danger no matter how severe said danger.**


	9. The waning time

**AN: OK! Here we go! Back to more Brave Sir Robinson! In this chapter Jaune learns a few things about the world, the guild set's up to do a run on a dungeon and Ruby! Ruby decides that now is the time to _act_ on an idea and make her own choices in life... no matter the _consequences..._**

* * *

Waking up from getting knocked out was _never_ a great feeling, for one your eyes fight to stay shut, two your head feels like it's been hit by an ax and three you feel like you have been run over by a horse. As I struggled to open my eyes I felt like I was in the middle of a hail storm as I moaned.

"Oww… my _nose._ " I groaned as I opened my eyes, I felt something warm and soft on my limbs instantly I knew that I was in some kind of bed but I was-

" _Jaune!?"_

" _Weiss?_ " I asked forcing my eyes open I knew what my room l was in the guild that much was clear Weiss was at my side sitting on a chair fist clenched into tight balls.

"Jaune!"

"Blake?" I turned as a warm cheek hit my own Blake wrapped her arms around me as I was locked in a rough embrace from my girlfriend as she dug her claws into my flesh.

"AH! Blake!? What's-

" _FOOL!_ You absolute fool! How could you!? What were you thinking about crafting that!?" Weiss shouted seething as I paused.

 _What did I do? I was one a hill with-_

"Ruby!"

" She's ok, but you! Fucking idiot! What the hell is wrong with you!? Why did you craft that rune!?"

"I didn't mean to!"

"That is literally worse! You did a rune that you did not mean to?! What is wrong with you!?" Weiss shook my side her nails clawing into my bare flesh, I was naked from the waist up. I was still dressed in my brown pants, and I had on a thick pair of socks that warmed by lower parts.

 _I still have all my limbs, so that's good?_ I thought as I felt Blake narrow her eyes.

"You have a lot to explain what happened to you!?"

"I… I was with Ruby, we had a talk and I…"

"And you?" Weiss raised a brown to me I knew she was worried her face normally so perfect and smooth now had large purple bags under her eyes, she had not slept in some time, and the fact or fault rested solely on my shoulders. I had made the Rune I put myself in danger this was _my_ fault.

 _Dammit, I need to apologize later on. After I figure out what the hell happened to me._

"Jaune why did you just make a rune? We talked about this! You can not just make Runes!"

"I'm sorry, Weiss. I just… I just did it. I didn't think I just acted and I'm sorry."

"You could have died, I thought that I had lost you," Blake said the fear evident in her voice as she dropped a hand onto mine squeezing it roughly as I gulped.

 _So smooth._ Blakes skin was always soft, like porcelain but gentle and was hot to the touch. I wanted to grip her hand, so I did. Cupping up interlacing our fingers as I gulped.

"I don't know… I'm sorry, please forgive me?"

"Jaune, you can not do this again. Right now Ruby is still beside herself, we were all worried, and now you need to see Ozpin. He wishes to know more about the rune you created for Ruby."

As Weiss spoke, the need on my chest pointed in a hard West direction. The compass was pointing to the door. The needle seemed to be hellbent on pointing and guiding me to whatever was on the other side even if I knew fairly well what or _who_ it was.

 _Whatever I need is on the other side, whatever I truly desire._ As I looked at Blake a dark feeling came to my hand as I gulped, I had noticed that no matter what happens, no matter how hard I tried or thought to try the needle on the compass seemed to be avoiding pointing to the person that I wanted it to point at.

 _It won't even look at her, why? Knim told me it will only point to what my heart truly desires but I know what I want… I have to know what I want._

"Jaune can you walk? If so we need you to speak to Ozpin he has made it clear that he wants to see you as soon as possible."

"I can walk," I said wincing my body was sore but overall intact. My health was at maximum, and no stats hand changed.

 _Even if they are lower, they took away my Runes for now so I will need to put them back on to get back in tip-top shape._ I thought as I nodded.

"I can walk."

"Well let's get going then."

/ / /

"So Mister Arc tell me how or why did you carve that Rune?" Ozpin asked as he looked me dead in the eye, I gulped once my palms sweating, being in front of the Warlock was _not_ a fun time.

"Jaune you can tell him the truth, you are not in any trouble."

"Of course not Jaune you are in no danger right now I assure you," Ozpin said, smiling gently as I let out a gulp.

"I don't know… I was with Ruby, and then I made the rune then…"

"And then you passed out?" Weiss asked my handler was allowed to come with me anywhere I went. I was technically her responsibility, and as such, she was allowed to follow me into almost any areas.

"Jaune do you know just what you made?" Ozpin asked the smile on his face so full and sickening that it made me feel a bit sick, it was like a child seeing his first ever bit of toffee. Ozpin looked like I had given him another gift from Oum as I gulped.

"No? Sir, what did I make?"

"Jaune you have made what is called a class-specific rune. Do you know what that means?"

"That I made a powerful rune?"

"That is like saying that an inferno is warm or the ocean deep. Jaune a class-specific rune is the ultimate kind of rune that a Blacksmith can make. You have made something truly and honestly unique." Ozpin said, licking his lips, his eyes locked onto me in a predatory glare.

"Sir, I don't' know what you mean."

"Let me explain when a Blacksmith spends enough time around a certain class, they have to spend long amounts of time with them they can unlock an ability to make a class specific rune, a special rune that is only utilized by members of that class."

"So it means that me and Ruby are friends?"

"No Jaune it means _more_ than that. It means you and Ruby share a bond, you and she are closed beyond just friendship. It means that not only does she trusts you, but you are also bonded with her." Glynda said my aunt had a curious look on her face somewhat between a look of regret and confusion as I gulped.

"I'm close to her?"

"You are very close to her. And from what I know that is a good thing. Unlike your other Runes class, specific Runes are limited. You can only craft five of them. One a slot is filled you can not replace it. From now on you can make these Runes for Reapers, you only have four other slots left."

"Only five?"

"Yes. You can only have four more of these Runes in your life. Jaune this is not easy task theses Runes show the apex of your power. They are the peak of any classes power. If a class has these Runes even at the lowest level, they are almost infinitely more powerful than any other member of their class in existence."

"So this is important then…"

"That is a massive understatement. Usually, a Blacksmith of your class will have to be a _minimum_ of a forty-eight in level before they unlock even one trait. They have traveled with a specific class for long enough and now can make Runes to better support them. Usually once a Partisan can make one they settle down in some guild fort and spend the rest of their lives, making that rune for a specific class and become a specialized NPC. The fact that you can make yours so early is… intriguing."

I gulped Ozpin was looking at me like a culture looked at the corpse of a deer. I felt a wave of fear fun down my spine as I swallowed a dry gulp.

"So what does this mean for me? Am I going to be in trouble? Or do I need to go to more classes?"

"What? Not at all! In fact, take the rest of the day off." Ozpin said his voice oddly chipper? He seemed shocked that I thought that I was going to be in trouble. I narrowed my eyes once as I paused.

"The day off, sir? Jaune has classes to attend."

"Missing one day of class will not harm him Weiss, and besides Jaune, you have done more than enough for this school as is feel free to take a break."

/ / /

 _Shift._ Metal flowed as I moved my hands down the sheet. I saw the metal glow, several markings displayed themselves as I nodded. Mold. I carved over the Runes that I had already made making sure to make the specific ones that were asked of me.

 _Strength, dexterity, perception, Charisma_. I thought as I fixed the Runes making sure that they were all in good shape before I smiled. Burn. I finished enchanting as I grinned.

"Finished!" I yelled as I finished this last batch of Runes, making them was becoming second nature, and so far the pay I was receiving for them was beyond that which I would have ever gotten on my own.

"Nice job, kid! Tell Neo to have you give the next order receipt ok?" Roman called out my boss was in the front room, not in the heat of the forge.

The art of crafting may Runes at once often caused a fair amount of heat to come into the area, not to mention when I was called upon to repair weapons. So face I was able to make almost every level one weapon a level two, and I had upgraded all of the guilds to level three as a minimum. Ruby's weapon was now almost a level four or well it was halfway there.

 _I'm not that good. Yet_. I thought as I looked up a pair of mismatched eye brown and green saw me as I yelped. Falling back almost falling out of my chair barely standing up as Neo smirked.

" _Neo_! Don't do that!" I hissed the smaller woman and yes Neo was a woman, she was older than me by over four years and was literally silent as a grave.

Her passive. Neo had a strange passive that she never told me the name of only that she had the ability to completely nullify the sounds that she made when she moved. If Neo did not want you to hear her coming, you did not hear her coming.

"Neo can you _not_ surprise me like that? Please?" I asked as Neo giggled a soft smirk on her lips she flicked her fingers in a variety of patterns that went over my head.

"What? You didn't cast." I reminded her Neo paused a frown crossed her thing lips before she redid her fingers, this time they glowed red and pink as she began to sign again.

 _Roman wants you in the front again, take your time he's pleased with your work._ Neo's spell forced her words into my mind, her ability to communicate was limited, but with some work, she could literally put her words into your mind.

"Alright I'll do that when I finish this, you still want your Runes?" Neo nodded giggling I had been supplying her with Dexterity and Perception Runes for the last few days I didn't know what Neo's stats were, but she was easily apt at using those two skills over any other. Her body was much lither and flexible than most. She did not seem to be a hulking mass of muscle like Yang, Coco, or Yatsuhashi. But she was toned more or less.

"Alright, I'll give you some more when I finish this order until then you need anything else?" She paused, putting her hand under her chin scrunching up her fancy outfit that seemed to be a form-fitting top that struggled to keep her chest contained.

I blushed looking down to her feet a stylish pair of boots laced up tight made of leather and furs the tips made of steel that I had custom forged myself were better to look at, but it made Neo know that I was avoiding looking at her making her smirk even more extensive.

 _See something you like?_

"No! I mean, yes?"

 _You are adorable, wipe your face and go see Roman before I tell your girlfriend that you are looking at other women._ Neo said teasingly as I turned away as my face burned.

"I'm not!" I called out flustered my cheeks burning red as Neo smirking her mouth, giving a silent laugh as she sauntered out, shaking her hips in a way made to steal my eyes.

Well, she did that well enough…

I groaned picking up a cloth scrubbing my face once, the rough material felt like a wad of raw cotton scraping my cheeks, but I tossed it down rising up before walking out of the forge into the front of the underground room that Roman lived in. Roman actually _lived_ in his underground bunker it apparently had several pages that made out to a bungalow of some type that the fourth year lived in. How he made it this far seemingly alone with no guild or friends besides Neo was a mystery to me.

"Jaune! My favorite Partisan! You look like shit. And you smell worse." Roman said as I rolled my eyes. I walked into the front of the shop. Roman sat behind his desk counting a pile of gold. Counting over them, scratching his head as he narrowed his eyes.

" _Eighty-two, eighty-three, eighty-five…_ ok! I've got it all."

"Counting your money?" I asked, taking the seat opposite him Roman raised a brown like I had insulted his mother.

"What? Never. I always know how much money I have, I'm counting _yours_ , six hundred eighty-two. That's your pay for the week." Roman said, pushing the money towards me, he had the good grace to put it in one big bag that was just asking to be pickpocketed.

"That much? How many people are buying?" I asked, taking the bag as Roman shrugged.

"Look it's dungeon season Jaune people need to bulk up before it's too late," Roman said cracking his knuckles as I cocked my head.

"Dungeon season? The hell is that?" I asked, putting the bag of gold on my lap Roman lit a cigar taking a deep breath and blowing out a cloud of smoke.

 _"Smoke?"_

"Nah."

"Your loss," Roman said, going back to his cigar and sighing. Taking a deep inhale of the smoke before shaking his head.

"Dungeon season is the time of year when the students get all excited. They all want to go into a dungeon and get killed for gold or whatever stupid thing the kids are all itching to get killed over these days. Youth it's wasted on the young I tell you." Roman said puffing his cigar again eyes narrowed to slits, the Thief looking irritated as I slumped back into my chair.

"They want to go into dungeons?"

"Yeah around this time a bunch of Rangers and I do mean a _lot_ of the bastards go out and do a massive scouting operation along the entire Emerald forest and well Vale as a whole, they scout out dungeons and usually find a shit ton of the things. After that? Well, that's when the heroes come in. They get to be all heroic paying the Rangers for their work before going off to kill the easiest if they are smart and nine times out of ten they are _not."_ Roman said with the tone of a mother telling her child not to put a block of steel into his mouth.

"They are often _not_ smart, and instead of going after the easier dungeons they go for the tough ones and that they think will give them better loot and well things don't work out for them really if you get my drift," Roman said blowing another cloud of crimson colored smoke that someone became a tombstone with a skull on it.

"They don't make it, do they? The dungeons are too tough, but they also give you better loot?"

"Oh, they do let me tell you the ten percent of the dumbasses that do by some miracle make it back are almost guaranteed to make it to the third year. The gear that they get is far more beneficial, and if they don't do anything stupid, they are almost guaranteed to graduate."

"That doesn't sound too bad…"

"Yeah but the other ninety percent of them die, leaving only the very skill or more likely the very lucky alive. And the few that pick three reasonable dungeons are often bolstered by the success and tackle a bigger dungeon and well… overconfidence has killed more men than any arrow or spell."

"So it's a trap?"

"No. It's an _opportunity,_ I'm sure your guild is doing something. Knowing that Mage though she will have you all in a nice and comfy level one. She seems the patient type good thing two if you die I lose most of my money."

"I thought we were friends?"

"Friends get you killed Jaune, but we can be close if you like."

I shrugged Roman was always a bit aloof after we started out partnership he dropped the best friend act for a loyal business partner.

"Fine. But I have to go back to the guild hall, Yang wants to take me to town again."

"Oh? Cheating on the misses? Let me tell you from personal experience that never works out." Roman smirked a wry smile on his lips as I rolled my eyes.

"What!? No! I'm just going as a friend!"

"Let me tell you from personal experience that never works out. Going as friend rale ends with staying as friends. Let me say." Roman started rolling his eyes I mimicked him rolling my own.

"I will not cheat on Blake Roman. I won't do that to her, I… I love her…" I said blushing wildly as I gulped loudly, I had never told Blake that I loved her, directly and I wanted to make sure that she was there when I did.

"Roman I will not cheat on Blake."

"I am not saying that you will want to cheat on her."

"I won't."

"You say that now."

"I'll say that then."

"You say this sober. Let me tell you how minds change with ale _and_ mead?" Roman asked taking off his hat waving the smoke away with one arm.

"You think you can be in control for now but when it happens? Let's just say the heat of the moment is _very_ strong."

"I won't be tempted."

"Oh, now _that_ is a lie. A bald face one. But I'll let you work this one out alone. Have fun!"

The man said as I sighed waving goodbye leaving the room with all of my gold as I went to meet my friend and _nothing_ more.

/ / /

I am _not_ a smart person.

"Three more! _NOW!"_ Yang order more drinks this had been going on for an hour, the dungeon season was on, and every other bar or pub we want to was packed with, in the end, we went far downtown to an NPC bar. One that did not take Heroes all the time and had ordered there. Deep in the center of the bar, I sat across from Yang the wooden seats were comfortable enough as the smell of fresh spices of a variety of sauces and the steam from the counter wafting over.

"Yang? Are you sure you can even pay for all of this stuff?" I asked she had ordered six cups of mead and me two, a plethora of meat and fruit and she was just getting started. She had started going in strong ordering mead and meat and showed no signs of stopping even ordering for me. Yang _kept_ ordering the food, and as Roman said the mead was starting to kick into effect.

 _I feel like I'm going to drown._ I thought as I groaned the mead was killing me literally I did not know how anyone could even drink it! How Yang took over four mugs almost at once it soon became apparent that I was going to be in here for the long haul.

 _I think I'm going to die._

"MORE!" Yang yelled the Brawler was living her life to the max, as she said dungeons season approaching meant that most heroes were very away of how little time they might have left and how most of them were now dealing with the dreaded choice of leveling up rapidly at the risk of their lives or not and risking their lives being under level later on not a good choice for anyone in the mix.

"Now we have a meal!" Yang said downing a leg of lamb as I sighed, I just wanted to go home and get some rest not deal with this. I was just surprised that Yang asked me out _twice._ The fact that someone this beautiful was even giving me the time of day besides the fact that I was friends with her sister.

 _Well, at least she is getting full._ I hope she doesn't drink so much. The last thing I need is for Weiss to want to murder her more. As I sipped my mead tentatively, I sighed the hops were good for this the mead had honey placed into the mix, giving it a fresh sweet taste as I smiled.

Tasty. I thought downing a quarter of the mug my third of the day as I heard a maid speak next to me.

"Um… sir…. your tab?" The women asked a waif of an NPC called a Matroidee asked me as she-

"Ah, forget the check! Beacon will pick it up! Give us the Hero rate!" Yang said as the NPC bristled once before a harsh smile spilled out.

"As you say, ma'am. We will give you that wish. She said through gritted teeth as I paused.

"Hero rate? The hell is that?" I asked as Yang devoured her meats.

"The Hero rate man! Oh, fuck you were an NPC so you probably don't know but if you want you can always ask for the Hero rate at bars and places! They give you food for free!"

" _Free?_ Really?" The concept of free food for anything but your own neighbors or family was wholly foreign to me. The waitress shook her fingers, gripping her tray that she was carrying. She was an attractive woman, skin pale with a bit of freckles dotting her face. Her hair a fiery red and a smile that seemed forced on her face.

"I see… I wish you two a good meal then."

"More drinks! Two more mead!"

"As you say, hero." She hissed walking away, I felt some kind of vibe from her she seemed pissed. _Really_ pissed…

"Yang? The hell was that?"

"Hell was what?" Yang asked, taking a bite of a drum stick, ripping the flesh from the bone as I frowned.

 _She cannot eat right, did her mother tell her how?_

"That, the waitress looked pissed off when you said the hero rate the hell is that?" I asked, taking another swig of the mead as Yang smirked.

"Ah! You have been an NPC to long!"

"Labor caste."

"What?"

"Please call them Labor caste."

"Eh, you are too sensitive! You got to open up!" Yang said downing her mead cup slamming it down on the table with a heavy thud! Taking time to belch loudly before coughing punching her chest, making it shake as I blushed.

"Ah, that was good. Anyway! The hero rate just says that if a Hero who is in active duty training or not is on a mission or in a town that they have guarded in the past or are guarding now, they can get a meal at any establishment for a price of their choosing."

"What?" I felt my jaw drop as Yang smirked.

"Yup! It means that we can pay whatever we want! Even if that is nothing!" Yang said, laughing loudly, tossing her head back as I felt a strange feeling press into my chest. A knot formed in my gut as I paused. Yang had just said that I never had to pay for food in Vale for the rest of my life!

"You mean I can get free things from any town!?"

"Yup! As long as you have fought for it in the past or present just ask for the hero rate and you can pay the price of your choice!"

"I've never seen a hero use that… even in my own town they just paid the full price whenever they came."

Ah some of us are a bit sappy. They decided to pay full rate when they go, give the Peasant's something to do between tilling the fields or whatever else it is they do." Yang said, shrugging her shoulders as I smiled.

 _This is amazing! I don't have to pay for anything!? I can just use my rate to get free things!?_

"So I never have to pay!?"

"Whoa now! It's not that good I mean I wish it was but nah it's gone some limits. It can only be used for essentials. Like food, water, shelter, _etc._ The law is meant so that we don't need to worry about our basic needs if we have no money to pay; we can just drop off what we have and still get service. Allows us better maneuverability. You can't just walk up to a house and say mine! Then get the hell out. _That_ would be insane." Yang said, tearing back into her meat as I nodded.

"That makes sense so only food mead?"

"Basically. Anything else you have to pay whatever people are selling for whatever they are selling. And I see that fucking look on your face. Don't get all sappy with me. Np- _Labor Caste_ are scamming us I tell you. No way half of their shit cost so much! Most of its busted anyway." Yang's words felt like barbs piercing me as I frowned.

"Hey, I take pride in what I do Yang-

"No, not you! You are a _good one!_ A former Peasant that actually took care of his betters. I knew a Blacksmith before you, the man didn't even know how to forge right! He fixed my greeves than a week later they had gone down a level and a half! Should have known he was a fraud to cheap." Yang muttered bitterly under her breath I gulped she did have a point There was a lot of less than scrupulous Blacksmith's that overcharged Hero's for gear and then either fled or lied about levels or skill and faced no prosecution.

 _They can't harm you for services rendered._ I remembered the chant my dad told me as a child. While we should do our best in our services to Heros they can not harm us for our job if it is unsatisfactory, the most they could do is request a refund, but that was entirely at our discretion.

"I mean not all Peasants are like that. Some of us are good people-

"Few. Few are most are greedy Lien hoarders that don't know shit about risking their own lives for ungrateful bastards who will never give them a hint of gratitude!" Yang spat a bit on the floor as I felt my eyes narrow at her. Ok some of us might be jerks, but the vast majority of us were good people! My family was great, so was our whole town! There was no way the Labor caste was cheating Heros as a whole!

"And just between you and me? I think that all of them are in on this! Like some kind of conspiracy!" Yang hissed looking down at me as I froze I felt my teeth grind shut as I balled my fist. My eyes flashed red the combination of liquor and being insulted made me growl at Yang as I slammed a fist on the table.

"That's not true! We would never do that!"

"We? Who the fuck is _we?_ " Yang asked not pissed in the least but more indifferent. She looked at me like I just mentioned to the face of a long lost guildmate. Yang looked around left right; her eyes hazy from the mead as she frowned once.

"Jaune? Who the hell is _we?_ We like you and me? What are we going to do?" Yang asked still devouring her meat drowning down her meat in a small fountain of mead as she did.

"What? No! I mean us Labor caste-

 _Thud!_ Yang slammed a mug on the table as she let out a low chuckle.

"Jaune you are not a part of that caste anymore you are one of us! You are a Hero now! Stop thinking like you are part of the NPC's ok?"

"I… but I am one."

"You _were_ one. You are thinking of the past man! You moved up in your life!"

"I was born into the Labor."

"And you were elevated from it by fate. Oum saw fit to fight you a raise, and you got it! You are one of _us_ now, man! Come on!" Yang said as we clinked out mugs, the Brawler laughed loudly as I paused.

 _One of them? I'm one of them, I'm not a Labor Caste anymore… I am a Hero now…_

"Here are your drinks." The waitress came back to us, placing down the tray before us. The mead shook as she gulped her cheeks pressed out.

"You have ordered _eight_ mugs of mead, two full chickens and several racks of ribs. What will you be paying?"

"Hmmm… let's see, three gold pieces!" Yang said counting the numbers on one hand as I choked.

 _"Three!?"_ Both me and the waitress said at once, that meal alone was worth far more than three hell the mead itself was five! And that was lowballing it!

"Yeah, I said three what about it?" Yang asked, picking her teeth as the waitress looked ready to faint.

"We worked very hard at this meal _Hero…_ we would really appreciate a bit more of a reward for the hard service that we give you." The woman said her voice low but tinged with anger. Yang cocked a lone eye at her and shook her head.

"Reward? Reward for what? Staying behind our weapons all day?"

"I'll pay! Here have some extra." I stopped the argument by paying the waitress twenty Lien flat and eight as a tip. The waitress paused, noticing my class and bowing once. The waitress looked relieved at finally getting money as she smiled warmly as she collected my money.

"Thank you, Jaune. I am glad that not everyone is willing to abuse a system for their own advantages."

The waitress said as Yang rolled her eyes.

"You see that? We risk our lives _every_ day for them, and they say we don't pay enough for food! They should be grateful that have any! If we did not help them, then there would be no place to grow, harvest, or even build!"

"But they do things too! Labor caste makes weapons and food and clothes! They do a lot for Heros!"

"Yeah, but they do not do the necessary things! We fight things, Jaune! Even without all of this, we can hunt! Any Hero can use their weapons to kill animals, and some fruit grows in the wild!" Yang said, ignoring how the crowd was glaring death at us before leaning in to whisper into my ear.

"Besides after I figured out how to grow crops? I don't think there is even a need for them. We can do what they do! And with some practice, we can do better!" Yang hissed her words punched me in the gut like a hit from her greeves. She had a point an excellent point. Until Beacon, I had only heard of Farmers being able to grow food, but now Yang, a Brawler of all classes had been able to grow sunflowers without any other help or magic?

 _Maybe we are interchangeable?_ I thought before shaking my head. That little bit of knowledge was kept under wraps from well anyone. I don't know why Yang chose to share with me, but the fact that she was doing what she called multiclassing was probably _illegal_ and very taboo.

We had a caste system for a reason, with the rare exception of Partisans you stuck into your class, and Yang's adventures into the realms of an NPC class of all things were worrying to the extreme.

"Yang, let's just go. Please?" I asked the Brawler was trashed but not so much as to throw up on Weiss when she first went home.

"If you say so. Let's go! Getting tired." Yang said as I bowed to the irritated waitress walking out of the bar with Yang as the two of us walked out into the night a small voice in my head tried to say something about Yang only _acting_ to be my friend that this was all an act that she was playing to get herself preferential equipment from me.  
 _Nah. Yang's not like that. She's a friend._ I thought as I smiled helping out the drunken Brawler as we walked off into the night.

/ / /

" _Ok! Ok_! Well, I know that this will be a bit of a strange request or well announcement but!" I said as I stood in front of the assorted members of the guild halls I gulped I needed to make this speech good! This was our first big quest as a guild, and I really wished I was not standing on a table that looked like it was going to give out underneath me in a moment's notice.

"Will you just get on with it!?" Weiss hissed into my ear as I gulped, I needed to sound good! This speech needed to go well or Weiss was going to me _irked._

"OK! So as you all know me and Ruby have found a dungeon!" Ruby's eyes widened her silver eyes sparkling with joy. The reaper had not been seen much in the days since our _incident._ She had been more quiet than normal as she seemed to avoid me. The loss of contact with her had left an odd hole in my life. I didn't know when I bonded with the little genocidal sociopath but she was worming her way into my heart somehow. The guild was arrayed in front of me waiting for my news. _I wonder what their class Runes are? I know what Ruby is but I can only make four more... I can't give them to everyone._ I reasoned as my eyes fell to Ruby who was looking anywhere but my direction as I sighed.

 _I hope that she comes around._ I thought before coughing. Maybe this will help?

"Ok! As you know-

" _You found a dungeon! Get on with it!"_

" _Yang!"_

"What? He's already said that one."

"OH! Is it broken!? Can we raid it!" The Barbarian inquired, _inquired_ fancy word Velvet liked it.

"Nora, you do not break dungeons you clear them. Ren added as I sighed.

"The dungeon we found is no longer in our realm of acceptance! It has reportedly leveled up to level three! As such, we will no longer be considered an attempt at clearing it." Ruby's cheer died in a moment it felt like I was kicking a puppy. It was true the dungeon had grown in level and was now no longer a _safe_ target for a guild of our level.

"So we don't go to that dungeon, what's so special about that?" The love of my life and sem supportive lover Blake asked as I sighed again wishing she could be nicer.

"We will _not_ be attempting that dungeon but! We will begin to scout with other guilds and embark on a joint mission to clear out a dungeon." I explained somewhat claiming Ruby we were not done with our quest we had just taken a break to find a target that was easier for us to assail.

"Joint? Like with other Heros?" Yang asked as I saw my out.

"Yes, Weiss can explain the finer details, Weiss? Will you?" I asked hoping against hope that Weiss would bail me out. She nodded once as she walked up to take center stage.

"To save your skin yes," Weiss said as we switched places the tiny ex-princess walked up on the table coughing once.

"As you know, we are all in need of leveling. After much talking with Jaune we have accepted officially the mission to hunt Bandit's in Atlas and no Ruby, not the class specifically. Though I do think there will be official Bandits I do not think that we are looking for _only_ Bandits. Now if you would all pay attention, I will demonstrate the two guilds that I am considering bringing in for our mission."

"Hey, you ok?" Blake asked, appearing I didn't see her move, I had my eyes locked onto her as she simply vanished blurring out of reality and appearing at my side. Her fingers interlocking into mine as I smiled. Enjoying the warm feeling of her fingers on mine as I smiled. Weiss had the attention of all of our friends as Blake took the time to check on me.

"Yeah I'm fine I'm just nervous, this is our first dungeon, I'm just glad that we are doing it as a team."

"As opposed to us soloing a dungeon? Jaune we might be a good guild, but we are not that good yet. You barely have us at level three gear, and that's taking most of your free time. Just calm down we can do this." Blake said, flashing me a smile as I nodded.

"Thanks, Blake."

"No problem."

"I'm just worried about Ruby." And just like that her frown let, her cat ears went flat on her head as she scowled. Her hand left mind as she shifted away from me. The relation shop with Blake and Ruby was _not_ on solid ground even from the beginning but the fact that A my compass that only pointed to what my heart would desire the most was hellbent on pointing towards her and her alone refusing to so much as _twitch_ when Blake was around. The fact that I and she had bonded in such a way I could make a specific Rune only for her class.

"Blake?" I asked, hoping that she would be understanding. One look at her scowl was enough for me to know; otherwise, a sigh left my face. One look down at my chest gave it away, my compass was pointing right at Ruby. That thing seemed determined to say that Ruby was what my heart desired even if I never knew why.

 _Why her? What is it about Ruby that you think that I want?_ I thought Knim had told me that I the device would only point to what I desired the most but why Ruby? Blake was my girlfriend, and I loved her more than anything. I knew I loved Blake my heart soared and made me want to squeal the moment I looked at her but something was _not_... I knew I loved her but the needle that I was assured to be right did not want to point at her!

"Her again." Blake hissed under her breath as I sighed, Blake's rocky relationship with Ruby as not a well-kept secret in the guild and even if she was my best friend I had to pick my girlfriend over her. Even if the needle would not show my thoughts I made sure my actions would do so. _Actions speak louder than words._

"Blake she's just a friend! Ouch!" An elbow hit my side as Blake got me right between the ribs.

"Ouch!"

"Pay attention."

"Thank you, Blake, some of us are listening!" Weiss hissed as I rolled my eyes.

"Really? You are going to use my partner against me?"

"Nope. I'm going to use you against you." Blake said as Weiss pushed on with her speech as the Mage listed off the potential allies whose names I forgot the plan was still a long way away. We needed some better gear, mainly armor. The Reactive Armor that I was forging was for the time being and after a long discussion with Roman and Weiss an exclusive item. Only our guild, Roman, and Coco since she saved my life a story that did nothing to make Weiss not hate her with a passion.

The idea was that if we showed how valuable the armor was that coupled with rumors would drive up the price which was already impossibly high. Most of the offers I had gotten with Lien would feed a family in my hometown for months with leftovers. But Weiss had advised me to say no. I needed to equip the guild, which brought up even more complications.

As it turned out, some classes had a Strength limit, no matter who you were, you had an eight limit the maximum amount something can weigh before carrying it. Some people like Weiss needed special armor made for Mage's to even consider wearing it. I had to learn a new type of casting and the materials needed to armor the guild were just in short supply at the time.

I would protect them all in the end, but for the moment only Ruby had a semi-full set. Her chest piece was a full corset of Reactive armor, making sure that one of us with the lowest health would not be dying anytime soon.

Or at all if I have a say.

/ / /

"Jaune? Are you there?" Ruby asked as I looked down from my Rune page. The night had fallen and I was busy smiling looking at potential Runes for me to craft as I heard Ruby call for me through the door.

"Yeah what's up?"

"Can I come in? Can we talk for a bit?" Ruby asked as I smiled, turning in my chair as I nodded.

"Yeah sure come in, the door is unlocked." Not that it matters, anyone can just burst down a door here, hell even I can break one in.

"Ok! Coming in!" Ruby said as she walked in the Reaper was still in her plate. It looked like her usual red corset, but the metal in it was clear that and the now slightly thicker leather that Ruby had placed under her clothes to add an extra level of protection from harm.

"Thanks! I really needed to talk to you!" Ruby said as she closed and locked the door with a _click!_

"Sure, what's up?"

"It's the dungeon!"

"The one that we are going to do?" I asked as Ruby bounced to my bed her chest followed suit as my eyes somehow latched onto her chest. Not as big as Blake but it was _growing_.

"No, the one we found! They are going to take it away from us Jaune!"

"Take it away? Ruby the dungeon is not going anywhere you know this right?"

"It is! Jaune they are going to let someone else take our dungeon from us!" Ruby said her fist balled there was something in her voice an urgency a call to action that was usually absent from her carefree high pitched tone that sounds like a mocking jay that had been shot.

"Um, Ruby? What does that mean?"

"It means, doesn't that bother you? We found that place shouldn't our guild be the one to clear it?" Ruby said as I shrugged I didn't care who cleared it. _Not like I'm going to be in that dungeon._ I thought as Ruby looked up hopeful silver eyes shining as I sighed.

"I mean, are you asking if I want to? Then yes I do, but I also know that to attack a dungeon without proper gear training or other prep is damn insane! How would we do it?"

"We would make it work! We would just do it! We are good enough to do this, I know we are!" Ruby said pouting adorably. I sighed, rolling my eyes as I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down Ruby sure we found the place but how the hell are we going to clear a level three dungeon without some serious help?"

"That's it! I found a way!" Ruby looked like she had just found the fountain of youth as I cocked my head at her.

"You found a way? How?"

"The boss! The final Grimm in the dungeon! That boss is known to grow with the dungeon! The longer the dungeon is around-

"The stronger the Grimm inside will be. Yeah, I know that, what about it?" I finished her sentence for her the compass seemed to spurt shaking even louder as it really wanted to shoot out and hit Ruby dead in her neck.

"Well, the boss in the dungeon does not just level with it! Right now the dungeon is in flex! The Grimm are getting stronger and stronger, but for the moment? They are weak!" Ruby looked up at me eyes shining as I gulped I felt the hairs on my skin raise the compass pointing so hard at Ruby that the needle threatened to break out of the class and fly straight into Ruby and pierce her heart.

"You think they are weaker?"

"No! Oobleck told me so!"

"He did when?"

"After class! I know that you and him talk so I went to talk to him! He says that during this time called the _waning hour_ if you attack a leveling dungeon then you can kill the low-level monsters for high yield gear! You can do level one fights for level three rewards!" Ruby looked up at me with anticipation clear in her eyes. I paused I had no idea how that would go, on the one hand, that sounded good but-

"Wait if this was a thing why has nobody done it? Why was it not mentioned in class?" Ruby paused the wind left her sails as she gulped! My eyes fell as I sensed a _but_ coming that I was not going to like.

"AH! Well… about that… it's not that easy… you see _if_ …"

"If…"

"Ruby…" I said as Ruby looked like one of my younger siblings that had just taken an extra toffee and was trying to hide it behind her back.

"Ruby spit it out."

"It's just they heal!"

"What?"

"The Grimm! They are leveling up as we speak! It's a _slow_ process, but it can just happen! We can be fighting a Grimm, and suddenly they get bigger stronger, and Grimm that we have killed will instantly respawn as newer higher leveled versions of the ones we had already killed!" There we go it was a death box.

"So we could be fighting Grimm barely surviving then all of a sudden they just level up and now have full health and our even tougher than what we could have been barely beating?"

"Y… yes... That can happen."

"Ruby that _is_ a serious thing. What if we got into a fight we were almost losing as is then the Grimm come back stronger than before? How do you want to deal with that?"

"We won't have to! It takes at least three days for this to occur! Until then, it is sporadic! The Grimm inside the dungeon will level up at random, not in any order and the best part! The boss will level up last! No matter what happens, the boss will only level up after all of the Grimm have! And if the boss id damage he will not get his own health back!"

"So the boss is the only one that we can guarantee to be on a lower level?"

"Well… if the boss does level up its power will get more, but the health stays. So it won't heal."

"Ruby that is still insanely dangerous. What if we are killed? Ruby, you barely have the health to take one hit! And-

"But the Rune! The minor Rune of reaping! If we use that we can beat them!"

"Ruby, that is one Rune even if I made more of them do you think that this can work?" I asked I knew that Ruby would see reason she had to. This was a mission that we _really_ should not take part in. She was going to see-

"I think that we can do it! Our guild is strong! We are strong! You just have to make Weiss see that!" Ruby said her eyes shining with hope as I rolled mine, I hated having to be the bad guy, but it looked like I was going to have to be one for this.

"Ruby. No. I can't tell Weiss."

"But why not!?"

"Because if I tell Weiss about this, then she will get pissed. Ruby this is a dangerous thing! We can't just attack a dungeon in this waning hour, even if the whole guild wanted to come they would want to prepare that would take days at best-

"We don't have days! The dungeon leveled up a day ago! And the school sent a group of third years to clear out all the Grimm in the surrounding area! Right now, no Grimm is surrounding the dungeon! If we attack now, we have a clean shot right at them!"

"Ruby! Even if that is true!"

"It is!"

"How do you know!? How do you know that the dungeon is clear to infiltrate and that no one else is even there right now!?"

"Because I do!"

"How?"

"I just do ok!? I know that no one will take it before it levels up! I know that there is a clear path into the, but we need to go now! If we do not go now, our chance is lost!"

"Ruby what if we die!? If I die then Weiss is dead! I can't just risk her life or yours!"

"So you won't let me die? Is that what you mean?"

"Of course not! You are my best friend!" I said as I felt it my charm of revealing on my wrist began to glow, it was a faint hum not to the point of pain, but that meant…

 _Ruby is casting a spell on me? Or is trying to deceive and manipulate me?_

"Jaune you need to come with me! If you come with me now, I guarantee you that we can do this! Bring the guild! Wake them up!"

"Ruby if we bring the guild there will be a meeting! We will have a debate first before we do anything!"

"Then, don't wake them up! Just wake Weiss, and we can convince her together!"

"She won't budge! You know this!" The amulet glowed hotter whatever spell Ruby was trying to casting was getting strong as she gulped.

"Jaune you are my friend, my best friend you said that you would never let me die, right?"

"Of course-

"Say it."

"Say what?"

"Say it! Tell me that you will never let me die!"

"I will never let you die."

"Say that you will protect me from harm!" Ruby why are you-

"Just say it!"

"Ok! OK! I'll protect you from harm!" Ruby was really being frantic her eyes looked wide and panicked she seemed desperate to take on this dungeon I had no idea why but-

"You will always be at my side!"

"What?" This one seemed different just as desperate but Ruby seemed scared? Like she was worried about what my answer would be.

"If you can help if you will fight by me and watch my back!"

"Ok? I'll watch you back you have my sword and shield but why are you-

"Jaune I need to do this dungeon soon. I need your help with it."

"Why didn't you bring this up at the meeting!? You were awfully silent!"

"I couldn't talk their!"

"Why not?! Weiss would have listened to you-

"I already asked her! She said no and warned me not to tell you!"

"Then, why are you!?"

"Because I need your help! You are my friend! Please help me!" Ruby asked as I groaned she was making this very difficult! I just wanted to help her out but-

"Jaune. You gave me your word to stand by me."

"I did-

"And you follow your word?"

"I do. A man can only be judged by his word, why?" I asked an inkling of guild beginning to run up my spine I felt like I was going to regret what was about to happen as Ruby took a deep breath.

"Jaune that dungeon is going to fall, it is going to fall by _our_ hands, not someone else's!"

"Why? What is your obsession-

"Because it just is! Listen to me! Please! Just help me." Ruby said walking to the window recently installed and upgraded by Velvet opening it to the cool night breeze. Taking a leg and putting it on the window as I felt the bottom of my heart start to sink.

"Ruby? What are you-

"I am going out to raid that dungeon," Ruby said as If elt my jaw hit the floor.

 _"What!?"_

"I am going to the dungeon either come with me and honor _your_ word or do not either way."

"Ruby wait! Please-

Ruby vanished in a blur of roses blurring down the walls into the front of the house then disappearing further down waving at me-

"Ruby!" I yelled as I groaned this was going too far!

I have to talk her down! I hissed as I gripped my blade and shield, I grabbed my weapons and only some of the Runes not even bothering to grip most of my Runes only taking a Rune of Strength with me, leaping out of the window the amulet on my arm glowing bright orange as I jumped out landing on the grass. I rolled once before sprinting after Ruby hoping to make her see reason but prepared to fight if need be, _she will see reason I know she will I can get her back home and calm before anyone else wakes up._ I thought as I jumped out of my window rolled thrice and chased her into the night...

* * *

 **AN: ALright! Jaune and Ruby are about to go out for a midnight run on a dungeon! The two are about to see what it's like in the field and we will learn just what Ruby's strange obsession is with this dungeon and why she is so determined. The next part will be Jaune and Ruby deep in a dungeon as they go out to face a boss _alone_ in the _Waning hour._ Stay tuned to find out what happens next! The next thing I got coming is either Hunter or Bust, Dragonslayer or Reverse! Either of them but we will see! Until next time thanks for reading and untill then have some stats.**

* * *

 **Stats**

 **Name Jaune Arc**

 **Level 32**

 **Health 160/160**

 **Strength 53 +8 Rune**

 **Charisma 9**

 **Intelligence 12**

 **Perception 19**

 **Constitution 40**

 **Dexterity 16+1**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Wisdom 9**

 **Lien2,227**

 **MP NA**

 **Skills.**

 _ **Stroke the fire.**_ **Creates heat to conduct Blacksmithing warning only your hands are immune to said heat.**

 _ **Armorsmithing level four.**_ **You can create armor for almost all people once you have the material.**

 _ **Rune smithing.**_ **You can mow create moderate Runes of any type.**

 _ **Blunt force.**_ **Your attacks with strength based weapons will now scale up to .75**

 **Metallurgy. You can now forge any object that you can imagine of with metal. Requires resources.**

 **Armorsmithing level 4. You can now make suits of armor custom tailored to your own design.**

 **Reactive Plating level 1. Ability to create a type of special armor that is not only much stronger than normal will block the _first_ attack that would harm the wearer, no matter how powerful the attack is. This armor cannot be repaired or maintained, any damage done to it is permanent and can not be altered.**

 **New Skill unlocked. Class Runes Smithing.**

 **Rune's unlocked 1/5  
Due to your familiarity with certain classes, you may now create Rune's specifically made for that class.**

 **Minor Rune of Reaping.** _ **When the Rune of Reaping is applied all enemies afflicted with it must pay the crimson tithe before they can begin to heal**. _**A Rune for the weapon of a Reaper. When this blade deals damage _any_ cut made by this weapon that draws even a drop of blood, will force the victim human or not to exsanguinate a total of .9 percent of their _total,_ not current blood volume. **

**If the target attempts to heal the wound before that amount of blood has been lost the effects of the healing no matter how strong will be reversed damaging them and the wound will continue to worsen. This effect stacks and any other cut that draws blood will force the targeted to exsanguinate the given amount before it can be healed.**

 **Common spells.**

 _ **Passive Guts.**_ **Ignores all but** _ **debilitating**_ **attacks to your person.**

 _ **Passive Hardy.**_ **Most poisons are less effective, you get sick fare less often and you will take a small amount of reduced damage from all attacks.**

 _ **Passive Cold dead hands.**_ **Your weapon will never be forced from your hands. So long as you do not willingly let go the only way you can be disarmed is through magical means or if your hands are amputated.**

 _ **Passive Thick skulled.**_ **Due to your lack of Intelligence and high Strength, any attempts to charm, hex, seduce, trick, or curse you takes double the effort on the aggressor and all effects are halved. You lack the Intelligence to allow these abilities to fully manifest. You also will take** _ **slightly**_ **reduced damage from magic attacks.**

 **Curses.**

 _ **Know no**_ **fear.** **You will know no fear, you will never run from a fight out of fear and will not let your decisions be ruled by fear as long as you are of _sound_ mental health.**

 **Items.**

 **Amulet of Revelation. Informs you when you are being hexed, cursed or charmed. Does** _ **not**_ **stop said abilities but will lessen effects.**

 **Compass. A cursed compass of demonic origin points you where you** _ **need**_ **to go.**

 **Charm of Constitution plus five Constitution**

 **Demonic sigil. Allowing you to communicate with denizens of the twelfth plane of torment and more.**

 **Unknown script. A strange script on the hilt of your weapon what it means is unknown it appears to be demonic in origin...**

 **Cursed plate. No step back. If applied you will not run from the first enemy you see, your first motion is always towards danger no matter how severe said danger.**


	10. Dungeon raid

**AN: OK! The next part of Brave Sir Robinson! The dungeon fight and a bit more! The story is going strong and I'm back to me noncommissioned stuff! So I hope you enjoy and thanks for reading!**

* * *

"Ruby! Wait! Where are you going!?" I shouted, jumping off the roof, landing hard on my feet. I rolled awkwardly my Dexterity nowhere near enough to take the fall with anything approaching grace. I tumbled down on the grass the fresh blades wiped my face before I began to sprint after Ruby.

The Reaper ran away. I saw her name floating over her head as I sprinted after her.

"Ruby! Wait!" I shouted as I left the guild house and chased my Beacon best friend into the night.

/ / /

"Well there, now tell me what will you two be needed tonight?" An old man with _Caretaker_ floating above his head asked as I panted. I chased Ruby to some kind of shop that was supposed to help? I had no idea how I was going to calm Ruby down but one look down showed me that my compass the thing that was supposed to show me where I should go but only pointed to what I desired most had _steadily_ refused to point at anything but Ruby since she had jumped off the roof and into the grass.

The Caretaker smiled; he was old, ancient. Easily late fifties early sixties his skin wrinkled like crumpled parchment his eyes that shone a deep black were sunken into his face, that had wrinkles beginning at the top of his scalp and going down far past his chin. He smiled a weak grin over half of his teeth were missing from his mouth, and those that were still there were an awful sickly yellow, and some had holes in them. The rest of his mouth was pure gum that had been missing teeth for a long time.

"Oh? Do tell me what has brought the two of you here? Tell the Caretaker how he can best assist you." The man's voice cackling like a rickety door that had not been oiled. The man grinned as his cloak a long dark leather one that was draped over his near skeletal body as Ruby nodded.

"Yes! We have just found a dungeon, and we are looking for supplies for the attack on it!" Ruby said the Caretaker nodded laughing genuinely as he laughed again. His laugh sharp and piercing stunning me in my ears as I winced.

"Oh? Do you mean the dungeon that has _just_ appeared? Or do you mean the older Cove dungeon?"

"This one!" Ruby slammed down a piece of parchment. The man looked down, reading it over as he smiled again. That sickly visage of his mouth flashed again as he nodding laughy soft at some inside joke that only he was privy to.

 _Something's not right with him_.

"Oh, this dungeon! It's a level three, you know?"

"What!? I thought it was a level one!"

"No, it leveled up recently but! It is still in the _twilight_ hour. If you struck now, you could surely take it down a few capable heroes like yourselves and… where is your guild? Are they coming? They surely are right?" The man asked, looking over our shoulders. His deep black eyes seemed to lose focus one falling loosely as it looked around the room. The lazy eye hung in the left socket as he frowned.

"We _are_ the guild. We are the ones that are going to take down the dungeon." Ruby said the Reaper proudly smiling as I gulped.

"Ruby! We should talk about this!"

"There is nothing to talk about Jaune! We are clearing the dungeon tonight! Or I am… I don't know about _you."_ Ruby's silver eyes glared into mine as I sighed.

"I'm going to come with you-

"Good. Now listen to the man."

"Why you two don't even have a party! You are just going to clear a dungeon by your lonesomes?"

"Yes! We are _more_ than enough to do that!"

"I see, well don't let me stop you from enjoying your life. No matter how _little_ of it is left." He said chuckling as he went back to his counter. The man smiled as he coughed loudly hacking so loud that Jaune thought he was going to cough up a lung.

 _Is he going to die?_

"Now, that you two are going into a dungeon tell me. What supplies would you like? Surely you will need your firewood for your campfire correct?"

"Campfire? Why would we make a campfire?" Ruby asked her silver eyes wide in confusion.

"Why? My dear, do you know how _long_ it takes to clear a dungeon?"

"I… a few hours? Maybe less?"

"Oh no, my dear Reaper… that is for a level one dungeon for a level three it is known to take over half a day! You may surely need this to rest sleep and recover during your travels."

"I… ok! What do you think we need?" Ruby asked, winching her confidence shaking as he coughed roughly.

"Well then since you are going in alone… or well not with a party just a group are you sure that you do not want to wait for others? I am not in the business of having one time clients, you know?" He asked raising a lone decrepit eyebrow as Ruby pouted. Stomping her foot on the floor once.

"Yes, I am sure! Now please help us be equipped!"

"Ok… so for this I recommend torches that's a basic." The man said, putting several long torches on the count. Thick wooden torches with ends doused in oil where place as Ruby paused.

"Why do we need torches?"

"Why? Young Reaper you are going into the Ruins. You need to have some kind of light. Unlike the Weald you will not have the unnatural sun most of the journey you will need these torches unless you want to try your luck in the dark?" The man asked, making it clear that he did not think she should do such.

"I… no."

 _This is enough._

"Ruby." I hissed, pulling her to the side whispering into her ear as I growled.

"You need to stop this! We are underprepared, under-leveled and if we go we are going to die!"

"Jaune. _I_ am going to go on this quest. You could not stop me if you tried. You can either come with me or go back to the guild make your choice." Ruby hissed I growled once before letting her go. She pulled back as she hopped back to the counter and smiled.

"Anything else?" Ruby asked as the man smiled.

"But of course. You will need bandages for your wounds, some tonics for the _soothing_ of the mind of your friend there. Trust me I have seen what dungeons do to Partisans it is not pretty." He said wincing as if remembering some kind of tragedy as he shuddered.

 _I don't like this._

"You will need food to eat when you camp, some potions to keep you alive. And you will probably need some spare torches just in case." The man said, placing a mass of items on the table Ruby nodded as I paled. There were enough items for _four_ people to carry easily, but two? I didn't know how we were going to do this. Ruby smartly enough picked it out as well. She nodded as she looked down at the supplies and frowned.

"We need _half_."

"Half?"

"Yes. We can't carry all of this easily. And if we try, it will encumber our ability to fight effectively."

"Oh? So you only want half?"

"The basics. We don't plan to stay in the Ruins for long what is the minimal that we will need?"

"Well… I suppose the _bare_ minimum is enough food for a light meal at a camp. Enough to not starve on your journey. A few torches to take with you, one tonic, and that is all? But that's bad."

"How? How is that _bad?"_ I asked as the man smiled.

"You will need to do a near-perfect run there can be little room for error."

"I know that! That is why me and Jaune will not make _any_ errors."

"So you say but before you go Ruby?" The man asked Ruby was already collecting her half of the supplies leaving half for me to pick. _Great. Now I have to deal with this._ I thought as I picked up my supplies, taking my torches and some food rations as well as my tonic? For something as Ruby glared. "And?" Ruby asked as the man smiled so wide I thought his face was going to split. "Just know little Reaper that overconfidence is a slow and _insidious_ killer."

/ / /

The trek to the dungeon did not take us long. Only a half-hour of me following Ruby making sure that she knew just how _crazy_ this idea was. Ruby seemed to be ignoring me. She only spoke to give me directions through the Emerald forest. The moonlight showed me that _despite_ going to was surely going to be my untimely death, my compass _stubbornly_ refused to budge. Pointing at Ruby as if she was some kind of lifeline, I followed her through the brush. The shattered moon lit our way as I followed Ruby.

"Ruby! We really should not be here!"

"This way." She said once again ignoring me Ruby seemed to be possed. She _needed_ to take this dungeon something was pushing her driving her to clear it. I followed again, shouting, but Ruby ignored me. As I followed her, I felt an odd feeling of warning in my blood. We were in the forest, but no Grimm had found us?

We were making more than enough noise for them to tell that we were here, but there was no sign of them. The monsters of the dark seemed to not pay us any mind or attention as we sprinted past the forest. Or I raced Ruby seemed to be taking only a small jog she trudged a long blurring in and out of reality. Going into bright red blurs as she ran. Ruby seemed to be able to avoid very last low hanging twig and branch that lay in her path.

I, on the other, had taken several branches with direct hits to the face from the forest. Groaning as my face was scratched and cut my health dropping five points in the span of a minute.

 _Great. Now I'm already pushing death._ I thought as I glanced ahead pausing waiting a second for the numbers to pop up as I checked my stats.

 **Name Jaune Arc**

 **Level 32**

 **Health 155/160**

 **Strength 53+8 Rune**

 **Charisma 9**

 **Intelligence 12**

 **Perception 19**

 **Constitution 40**

 **Dexterity 16**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Wisdom 9**

 **Lien2,227**

 **MP NA**

My skills had not changed much, but without my Runes, I had left in such a hurry that was worryingly low on health. Without my Constitution runes and armor, I was not in the best state. I only had on my leather pants and boots without Runes. I had some Constitution Runes on my neck with my necklace, but that was about it. I just had a light short without protection. In short, I was at my worst the only silver lining was that we had been able to get some packs from the Caretaker to carry it. Slings over our shoulders carried out equipment as-

"I can't believe he made us pay for this," I said me and Ruby finally reached the Dungeon the massive one that was supposedly a Ruin dungeon in the waning hour. Ruby, for the first time, paused to look me in the eye.

"I know, right? He cost us an arm and a leg for the supplies! Who thought that we would have to pay for our own supplies?"

"You mean, _I_ would may for them." Ruby winced a blush appeared over her face as she coughed.

"Sorry… about that. I mean I honestly did not think we would need to pay for our own supplies. We are Heros dammit! Why do we need to pay for things that we use to save lives!?"

"Ruby I think it's his job."

"Yeah… you are right but! We are here." She said the massive cylindrical tower that looked like the keep of a castle awaited us. The massive tower loomed over us, but it seemed _dull?_ Almost like it was weak? I blinked the gigantic stone tower seemed to be shifting? Flashing almost as if the stone was not solid and instead liquid in nature.

"It must be the waning hour."

"You are right, so let's go," Ruby said as she pushed on.

"Ruby! Wait! Are you _sure_ you want to do this? We could die!"

"I know that. And I know that _we_ can die. So like before you _can_ go home. You can go back to the guild maybe bring them, but I am going in now. So either come with me or get out of my way."

"You are impossible!" I hissed following Ruby the massive wooden doors that were big enough to fit a damned strike force of Heroes opened up for us as if it knew we were coming. The doors swung open slowly a low creak filled the air along with a blast of stagnant old air. I coughed violently as I waved it off.

"What the hell was that?"

"It stinks!" Ruby hissed we walked forward, I knew that I could not convince Ruby otherwise, but I also know that I was not going to leave my friend.

 _Not like this._ I thought taking a torch lighting it as the light flickered as Ruby nodded.

"Good thinking." She said my passive heated up the oil lighting it as we walked in. As soon as I stepped _foot_ into the dungeon, it was like a wall fell down on me. I gasped, screaming silently as a force hit me. Instantly another status popped up on me as I saw my sats flash up.

 **Name Jaune Arc**

 **Level 32**

 **Stress 1/100**

 **Health 160/160**

 **Strength 53 +8 Rune**

 **Charisma 9**

 **Intelligence 12**

 **Perception 19**

 **Constitution 40**

 **Dexterity 16+1**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Wisdom 9**

 **Lien2,227**

 **MP NA**

A new stat called _Stress_ appeared over my head hanging low I felt a cold sweat grip me as I coughed.

"Well, that's new," I said half-joking as Ruby paused, a worried look came over her face as she coughed.

"Are you ok?"

"I think so? I feel great." I lied as soon as I did, _knives_ appeared mid-air. Long dark knives the length of my forearm appeared black like ink and sharpened to a point fell. I let out a scream as they fell down and _sunk_ into my flesh.

"Jaune!" Ruby screamed as the blades entered my I prepared for agony but instead I felt _cold?_ Instead of pain and a hot lancing torture, I felt _cold?_ I shivered as my stress popped up to three out of one hundred. The numbers went up, and I felt no pain.

"Jaune! Are you ok!?"

"I… I think so? I don't think that hurt? I just got more stress?" I said, shaking the cold feeling like cold water was dumped _in_ me. I shivered once as Ruby ran up to my side.

"Do you need help? Are you ok?"

"A bit… let's get this over with. We need to clear the dungeon." I said Ruby nodded as I held out the flaming torch in my left hand my blade in my other. I put my shield on my back as I did not want to press my Dexterity on wielding that and a torch. My dominant hand holding the weapon as I noticed a new stat buff on my stats.

 _Torchlight buff? Minus fifty percent stress?_ I thought as me and Ruby walked inside the dungeon, the doors slowly swinging shut as it seemed to know that we were committed to raiding it. The massive wooden doors swung menacingly shut, locking us inside as me and Ruby walked in to meet our fate.

/ / /

We walked in for five-plus minutes. We walked silently. The walls made of stone were oddly lit- "Jaune. Do you see that? The walls." Ruby pointed out as I nodded. The walls were oddly _covered._ There where torches on the wall that seemed to be lighting our way. The walls were sporadically filled with small torches that lead us down the path.

"Do you know where we are going?" I asked I had no idea how to navigate the path. Ruby shook her head once. She seemed perturbed but sighed.

"I don't think so."

"Really? You don't know where we are?" I asked the walls had pictures? Literally, pictures of humans were on the wall. Well made pictures that any painter or Artisan could be proud of littered the walls. I saw people maybe nobles that I had no names of where displayed freely.

I had no idea what I was looking at, really the halls sometimes had rooms. Well furnished deep red carpets, couches, chairs, and other items that would not go out of place in an upper-class house. We ignored them looking for the center of the dungeon.

I had no idea where the final room was, but I knew he had to find the man one. That was where the boss would reside, at the center of the dungeon the final Grimm would wait. It was the heart of the dungeon, and we had to kill it. To make this worthwhile, we had to kill the heart.

"So what do we do with the loot?" I decided to speak up Ruby was silent as she paused.

"The loot?"

"When we finish this. What do we do with the loot we picked up? Do we take it all back to the guild? Or do we go to pawn any?"

"We take what we can carry. I'll be looking for gold or maybe another scythe?"

"Oh? Do you want me to make you a scythe? I can make you another."

"No. I want one to sell. I only want my baby." Ruby smiled the Reaper hugged her weapon closed as we walked. Our footsteps echoed in the dungeon we made random turns trying to find the _heart_ of the place.

"Do you have any idea where we are going?" I asked as I saw Ruby shrug.

"Not really."

"Great. Well-" I paused one look down seemed to be my answer. My compass seemed to have a mind of its own. The needle pointing to the left at an upcoming split.

"Make a left here."

"What? Why?"

"My compass… It always points me to where I need to go. What I want most, and right now, what I want most is to clear this dungeon I think it will act as a guide.

"AH! That's great, Jaune! You take the lead!" Ruby said as she blurred behind me, I groaned as I took the lead. Taking point as I turned.

"Ok, I-

 _TWANG!_ Something him my sword. The skill that let me keep the blade activated my hands dug into the blade an arrow hit it flickering off as I growled.

"Who's there?!" I shouted as I saw them.

"Jaune! Look!" Ruby pointed as I saw the enemy. There were five of them standing on two legs, each with weapons in their hands. They were skeletons… legit skeletons things that looked human that might have _once_ been adventures.

The monsters shuffled forward the lead two with a wooden club in their hands, two in the back with longbows and one in what could only be called _drags._ Rich royal drags covered the middle one. It had a small cup in one hand and a dagger in the other. It glared down at me its eyeless skull someone twisted in a village of hate.

"Kill them!" Ruby said as I took a stance the tones with the clubs rushed forward the long-ranged ones back peddled away from us drawing their bows. The one in the middle the _Noble_ as I was calling it twirled its cum as some kind of rich dark liquid sloshed inside.

"I got the ones in the back!" Ruby yelled as she ran past she blurred past the frontline of enemies. I saw the two rush me, Ruby went past them as I swung my blade up I got one with its club.

I knocked the weapon out of its hand before slashing up with my blade. There was a clang! Of metal, on bone, the things skull cracked the bone a shat white shining in the torch like sickly porcelain.

The thing fell back as the other lunged forward. I heard bone cracking in the back as Ruby dispatched the ones with bows.

"Hah! Take that!" Ruby yelled I pushed back letting the blow carry past me I backhanded one with the torch it growled somehow making sounds with no flesh or muscle to carry it.

I slammed my blade down in a _rough_ arc splitting the skull in half! The monster crumpled down into a heap the other nonplussed kept coming. I stabbed forward taking its neck off. I cut the head of the beast, gaining two-quarters of my level of XP.

"Hah, that was easy." I thought as-

"Jaune!" Ruby yelled as I saw it. A thick mass of _something_ splashed into me. I screamed! I felt my arm _burn_ the liquid hit me right on my right arm. It boiled bubbled and hissed onto me! I scream in pain, losing two points of health taking me down to 152 as I felt it. The daggers fell while I took minimal amounts of damage I gained over twenty points of stress, putting me at 25 out of one hundred.

I felt my heart thump! In my chest, the thing was already sloshing its cup around for another attack as I yelled.

"Keep that away from me!" I screamed I dashed forward the thing tossed another batch of the liquid I dodged it most of the liquid passing past me as I slammed my blade down on it.

"Die!" I yelled as to my great surprise, it dodged me. It jumped to the left taking its cup and tossing half of the amount of liquid. It fell on the stuff hit me, hissing boiling into my shirt. I screamed my health dropped by two to one-fifty.

"That's as far as you get!" I yelled slashing, cutting off its head. It died in a heap crumpling to the floor. The thing died, leaving a decent amount of Lien on the floor as Ruby rushed in.

"Jaune! Are you ok?!" She asked, checking me over. I was ok. I was still in the top tens of health, but I was up to thirty-three stress. I felt my chest pounding in my body I checked my stats. My Perfection was down to seven!? It dropped over four points; my stress rose, but my Strength was pushed up to sixty-four.

"Jaune!"

"I'm fine! Fine! I just… I just wasn't expecting that those things took me by surprise. Let's push on, ok?"

"Yeah… let's do that." Ruby said letting me take the lead as we pushed on into the dungeon.

As we walked I felt another shudder run down my spine I knew that coming here was going to be a bad idea but now? Now I know that this might not just be a bad idea but that it was probably going to be a _fatal_ one at that. "I'll take the lead! You get behind me I got this!" Ruby said jogging ahead taking her blade and not letting me respond as we began to trek even deeper.

/ / /

The journey into the dungeon was _not_ going well.

"AHH! Just die!" I screamed I cut the neck of a Beowulf the monster howled in pain blood splashed out hot red and sticky. It covered my face pushing me back as I wiped the blood off. The latest ambush my monsters was not well received-

 _Twang!_ I heard the shot before it landed.

"AHH! Fuck!" I felt my leg exploded in pain! An arrow nearly took me in my knee as I fell. Another archer attacked the skeleton that was working with the Grimm shot me. I saw Ruby take its head off a second later. I broke the arrow off with my sword twirling around. I swung wildly hacking apart another of the melee skeletons. This one had a long rapier that was far too fresh to be an old weapon.

 _Did other Heroes come here before us? Did we not make it first? Did they die and lose their weapons?_ I thought as I killed it slashing wildly as it died. The last monster fell as Ruby blurred back. A pile of Lien littered the floor as she sighed.

"Jaune!"

"I'm fine! Just took an arrow near the knee." I said the damage was not that bad. I was at 100 out of 160. I had taken hits, but that was not my concern.

"Are you sure? Can I see it?" Ruby asked, bending down Ruby was the issue. I was _not_ a Hero, not really. I was forced into this class, but I had a high Constitution. Ruby, on the other hand? Even if she had only gotten hit once or twice, she had nearly died each time. Almost every hit took off a full _half_ of her health. She had already been forced to use both of our healing potions in out sortie into the dungeon, leaving us with no reliable way to heal injuries.

Seeing that having her lead was a disaster, I took the lead with a plan I was going to _tank._ Now I was not meant to be a tank hell I was not meant to even _be_ here, but yet I was. Fight my way into a dungeon with no party just one Reaper who might as well have been made of glass into hordes of Grimm and other abominations.

We had _also_ learned the hard way that the trip into the dungeon was a one-way shot. We had been guided. I sincerely hoped we were being guided by my compass. I had to be honest when I said that I was following my compass. I was really making an educated guess. I had _no_ idea if the compass was going to lead me to the center of the dungeon. I had no idea where it was taking us. The last time I used it like this, it leads me to fight a monster of a Grimm. And even if Knim had instructed me to follow it wherever it pointed, I was still a bit nervous.

On the plus side, they were rich. The amount of lien we have gained was mounting. He had over five thousand Lien between us. We had made more in the few hours of following the compass then we made in a week of work and hunting.

"How many more turns until we get to the boss?" Ruby asked, cleaning her blade. Crescent Rose was still slick with the remains of the Grimm she had slain just mere moments ago. I looked at my compass, pointing us towards the left of a long corridor dimly lit by torches. I squinted into the distance, but I failed to see far. My Perfection was down to _three._ Three out of what it once was I squinted hard to see a few feet in front of me. The world seemed to be fuzzy. I had issues judging distance as I felt my balance teeter.

"Jaune?"

"Ah! I don't know let's just follow the compass. We should get there soon!" I said, not mentioning the dwindling amount of supplies. While the compass _might_ be guiding us to the boss, it was not guiding us out of the area. I had no idea how many left-right-left turns we made as we descended into the maze of corridors. They all looked the same blank stone walls, some torches speaking of that we were already running out of them. And the odd paintings that seemed to be on no one but _everyone_ followed us as he made our way deeper into the maze.

I only knew that the only reliable way out was to kill the boss and then get the hell out of here.

"Ok! Let's go!" Ruby charred we walked again more aware of the chance of ambush. The only good news was that we were definitely in the _waning_. The Grimm and monsters seemed to be in flux. They died quickly to our blows and often seems sluggish when we fought. Not enough to make them easy by any degree but enough for us to see the clear throat that they would pose once they gained a level or two.

The two of us walked forward as this time, the compass led us to a stairwell going down. The massive stairs seemed to spiral downward as Ruby eeped.

"Hah! Look! It's going down! The boss must be down at the bottom of the dungeon, right!?"

"I think so? That makes sense." I reasoned holding up the torch. Some of the stairs were illuminated, but the stairway seemed to go on forever.

I took a long breath. I knew I had almost no torches left. I was on my second to the last one. Ruby had her last one burning like a second sun as we began to descend.

The staircase spiraled downward, the sounds of our feet echoed in the air. The walls echoed our footsteps. The shadows played tricks on us. The shadows ran up the walls and stretch up. I swore I heard the shuffling of feet a low scratching of claws on stone-filled my ears. I shook my head as I walked on. I had also been having…

 _What is that?_ I thought, as I heard something… something was in my ears… I swore I heard something like the ripping of parchment. It was low quiet but ever-present. I shook my head, trying to clear it, but the low ripping sound sill found a way to persist.

"There! The bottom!" Ruby shouted, we reached the bottom of the stairs after what might have been two or five minutes of travel. We walked down the stairs finally reaching the bottom of them when we did-

"Air?" I asked as a breeze of fresh air hit me in my face. I felt a cool breeze of air hit me in my face, along with the sound of water?

"Jaune! Look!" Ruby said, pointing forward, we were in a _very_ different part of the dungeon. The halls where much wider now. The hallways before were standard for a hall in Beacon but now? This heels were three times as wide and twice as long.

There were massive glass windows on the side of them. That showed beautiful paintings and showing of art on them alone with-

"Sunlight?" I asked half in disbelief. There was sunlight coming in from the side of the window. I walked forward as-

"Jaune! Look! The ocean!" Ruby shouted, pointing to the middle of the hall. I rushed running as fast as I could, my health dropped to ninety-nine out of one sixty.

 _I need to get some health back._ I thought as I ran I saw one of the massive glass windows broken. The window shattered by some unknown force showing what-

"Impossible," I said as my eyes widened in shock. I saw the ocean? The ocean was in front of me. The actual ocean, massive waves crashed into a rocky shore. The ocean raw and powerful crashed into a beach with dark black sand and jagged cliffs that looked like they were made of obsidian.

The beach went on for miles, an endless shore of black sand buffeted by large dark waves with a showing of the far end of a destroyed castle tower at the end.

"How… how is that possible? We are underground… how can we be at the beach?" Ruby asked her silver eyes wide as saucers.

I looked out narrowing my eyes but having no real answer, I felt the fresh air tasted the salt of the ocean, and I _felt_ the sunlight hit my skin. There was no mistake that was the real sun shining down on me.

"I… _magic._ That's the only way." I said Ruby nodded dumbly as I checked my compass. Thanking Oum that it pointed right down the hallway and not out of the window and into the beach. We backed off the compass now pointing dead down the hallway. It seemed we were closer or on the right path. _I hope_.

"We should camp here! I'm a bit hungry, and maybe we can tend to your wounds." Ruby said she sounded apologetic at least. Like she knew most if not all of my wounds were her fault and caused by her leading me to the quest without out guild.

"That sounds like a good idea, but why here? Why not elsewhere?"

"Because I'm hungry and I think we should eat something besides I'm tired."

/ / /

We cooked some food later. The campfire lit allowed us to cook some of the meat. Or it let us reheat it for a bit of flavor. Neither of us knew much-cooking magic. And aside from very basic techniques, neither of us had any intention to do something fancy. We ate in silence, the fire cracked and popped in front of us. The sun or the false sunset soon after we camped encasing the area in darkness.

Ruby devoured her pack of salted meat. The spells cast to keep the meat fresh were amplified by the salts letting it last longer as we ate. My shield was on my back. I had put it under me to save space as I ate my meal.

My own meal was not untasty. The meat was rich, and the bread cheese and crackers where good appetizers.

"I'm sorry," Ruby said as she finished her meal. Taking a small swig from her flask. We had decided early on to ration our want consumption. With no clear way back and no more on us, we had limited options. We briefly considered going down to the ocean for water but thought better. For one it was far too dangerous to even attempt and two it was probably salty anyway.

"For what?" I asked crunching some bread as she gulped.

"For dragging you here. I know it was stupid and I know that us coming here alone was foolish. I'm sorry."

 _Well, at least you admit it._ Jaune thought, smiling painfully as he put down the impromptu sandwich.

"Well, that's nice. Are you going to tell me what the actual reason you were so hellbent on coming here? Did you have some connection to the dungeon?"

"No… I don't have any particular connection to the Ruins… or any other dungeon. If you were going to ask." Ruby said, kicking her feet. Sliding one of her large thick black boots on the stone. She looked small, smaller than normal as I nodded.

"Ok… do you have another goal to do here? I mean do you want the XP? The loot? Is there something that you were looking for? An item?"

" _Something_ like that."

"Ok… that's something what do you want?"

"I… I need to prove something."

"Prove? What do you need to prove?" I asked, taking a small swig from my flask. I looked over to Ruby; she seemed to be thinking her face scrunched up as she pulled her knees to her face. Wrapping her arms around her knees as she took a deep breath.

"I need to see something. For my own reasons."

"And that is?"

"I… have you ever wondered if you can change? That you are capable of being more than what people think of you?"

 _Snap!_ The wood snapped as the fire cracked as a log split falling into a shower of sparks. Ruby sighed as I gave her a smile.

"Let me guess. You want to be more than a Reaper? You want people to see you as capable of being more than just someone who is here to kill, right?"

"I guess we had this talk, right?"

"I guess you can say that. Right after I made you that Rune and I passed out."

"You ass… I was scared… you had me really worried about you, you know? I thought you were going to die." Ruby looked down, despondently her fingers scrunching on her legs. Pulling up her skirt showing off more of her slim creamy legs.

I smiled looking her dead in her eyes she took a deep breath before coughing.

"I want to see if I can get a skill that is not about death. Or ending life."

"And you think _this_ is the way to do it?"

"I don't know…"

"Even if it is Ruby, why us? Why would you only bring us here?"

"Because you were the one I could trust… I need to level up for me to see my skills. If I brought the others, they would fight with us…"

"The would steal your XP," I said eyes narrowed Ruby whimpered.

"Yes… They would take my XP, and I might not level…"

"Ruby… we-

"I know. We are stuck in the middle of a dungeon. We don't have the supplies to go back. We don't know how to get back, and we are without our friends."

"So you know that we are _probably_ going to die here?"

"I do…"

"And you know that if _I_ die here that I am gone? I don't get a happy ending, right?" I asked hissed two daggers fell into my shoulders, raising my stress _just_ above fifty to fifty-two. The sound of ripping parchment filled my ears as I shook my head. A wave of anger that rose up was put down as Ruby sighed.

"I don't know… I… I just wanted to prove something."

"What that you are one of the best people to be a Hero?"

"To show that I can do more! I am a good person! I am not someone who just kills people!"

"Yet here we are about to die…"

"That… ok… I made a mistake."

"Yeah, you did!" I said yawning falling on my back and stretching on the sleeping pad.

"You are not mad? I just told you that I might have gotten you killed."

"Oh I'm mad I'm furious but yelling at you is not going to change anything. The best thing for us to do is to work together and finish this."

"Thank you…"

"If _when_ we do live you owe me mead."

"I'll but you all you can drink!" Ruby said, smiling roughly as I sighed.

"Ruby?"

"Yes?"

"If it makes you feel any better, you _are_ a good person. You are a Hero even if all your skills are about you killing others don't feel bad. You are your own person. And you save people's lives with the Grimm you kill. And even if you do kill people, you are still _Ruby_. You are a good person, and you are my friend."

"Jaune... I-

"My stupid, idiotic, cute, determined friend who I would die for."

"You are really bad at speeches."

"And we are about to die so until then? Sleep." I said as I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

/ / /

We came up with a plan that next morning. The rise of the _sun_ woke us up. We were roused from our sleep as the sun rose. The unnatural light woke us up. Not that it was hard to think about. The sun was only large enough to fit in the sky, so putting it underground, or something like it was not that far fetched an idea. Even for a skilled mage if you could see it, you could put it in something.

Our plan for battle was me in front. I didn't really attack Ruby did all of the attacking I defended myself from Grimm.

"AH! Ruby!" I screamed ducking back the Grimm at the lower levels were stronger. The Beowulf Grimm were bigger, stronger, and faster. They were taller nowhere near as lanky and much stronger.

Their arms bulged with muscles as they swung down at me. The monster roared in my face a deafening roar nearly split my ears as I backed off. The monster screamed before there was a _splat!_

The monster coughed a massive silver blade sticking out of the chest. Ruby yanked out the blade from its chest. The thing fell once looking down at a watermelon-sized hole appeared in its chest. Presumably where its heart had once been. It fell down gasping Ruby killed the monster, but I had engaged it gaining some XP from its death.

As it fell the rest of the things died as well. With me distracting the monsters Ruby would attack from the back. Sure I took more hits from the monsters, but I could tank them. Ruby could not and with the monsters not paying attention?

They were easy prey to her and her scythe. The fight ended a minute after it began. Me and Ruby took every bit of Lien that we could find. The slings that we had once used for food and torches were empty. No more torches, no more anti-stress bonuses.

We filled the slings with the Lien we took a brief count of our stats Ruby at her full twenty hp me at seventy-eight. I had lost a lot of health since I came in almost half gone, but if out plan worked, then the last fight would be easy.

"So when we finally go home what are you doing to do in the guild?"

"Me? Sleep. I'm going to sleep for a long time. Wake up deal with Blake screaming at me. Weiss chewing my and _your_ ear off. You do know Weiss is going to try to kill you, right?" I asked I will admit to taking _some_ pleasure at the way that Ruby's face pale at the sight. She gulped loudly as she began to whistle.

"You… you think that she is going to be mad?"

"Mad? Nah. Not at all I know Weiss she won't be mad." I watched as Ruby's face split into a massive smile, her silver eyes shone with innocence as I smirked.

"She's going to be _livid._ "

"You meanie!" Ruby pouted she knew I was taking the piss from her as I laughed.

"What do you expect? You put yours mine and her life at risk. Did you think she was going to be happy with you?"

"No! I just wanted to hear some honesty from my best friend!"

"Best friend, huh? Do you always take your best friend to get eaten by Grimm on a quest for self-improvement? Or is that just me?" I asked Ruby pouted adorably as she crossed her arms and huffed!

"Well if you are so cocky then you can deal with her!"

"Hell, I'm not getting close to her- Ruby," I said as I saw. The compass had stopped. It was pointing us down another hallway; this one lead to a massive wooden door. I _felt_ that there was something behind the door. I felt a power push out from behind it I knew it Ruby knew it whatever was behind that door would lead us to our end.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked readying her scythe as I nodded.

"Yup. Let's do this." I said as we ran. We got _halfway_ to the door before _it_ appeared. The Grimm was an odd one serpentine like a snake. It had two heads one on both tips the monster fell from the ceiling Ruby killed it. Easily enough, she took off one head as I chopped off another. The monster died, and we leveled up. We both went up two levels at least. I'm sure Ruby went up more as she got most of the kills herself.

"Ok. You ready for this?" Ruby asked, I nodded as I pressed up onto the door. The Grimm had only taken a bit of health. Only a minor hit took one hit point away from my total health. I was in the low seventies, and I took a deep breath. I nodded once as I turned to the door and-

"How do we open it?" I asked, suddenly not sure how we opened the door. Did we knocked or-

"Did you ever try to push?" Ruby asked as I groaned.

"Ok? Let's see if I push…" I pushed the door open, and it _groaned_ open. The door swung inward a massive blast of fiery wind shot out. We flinched as the door opened to a massive champer. There was a floor that was made of obsidian. Two massive cylinders stood in the back both bellowing flames.

The flames illuminated the room as me and Ruby walked in. The room was wide at least the sign of Beacons cafeteria. There was nothing inside that showed massive enemy.

We walked in quickly. The walls were made of crimson stone, and the room seemed to be unusually hot. There was a sense of foreboding as we walked in weapons drawn as soon as we got in the door that had opened _painfully_ slowly snapped shut! It slammed shut behind us as I gulped.

"Oh hell, that is not a good sign," I said as soon as the door closed, the heat began to _rise_. The heat rose steadily in the room twin flames appeared on the side as we were suddenly locked in the room. The two flames at the end spread as two other dark cylinders of flame activated keeping us in a square of fire as-

"Jaune look. It's-

I saw it coming. It rose up from the end of the area. Twin massive black paws appeared that were followed by twin glowing red eyes. The thing rose up massive on four legs each leg thicker than a tree branch a snapping maw that could swallow a carriage and teeth longer and thicker than me rose up as-

"Alpha Beowulf."

"No. _Elder_ Beowulf," Ruby said as the monster stood up to its full four stories height it sniffed once its massive snout sniff before it's red eyes locked onto us as it raised back its head and let out a massive roar!

The roar of the monster was so loud I lost heath. I fell to my knees as it dropped me to seventy. The monster roared as a massive red health bar appeared on the top of its head. The monster roared in defiance as it charged.

"Jaune! It's coming!"

"I see that! Remember the plan! I'll take the hits you kill it!"

"Got it!" Ruby said as she charged! She ran to the side as the massive _thuds!_ Of the monster's massive paws came closer and closer. I took a defensive stance I know I was going to die or well I was _probably_ going to die in the process of it.

I felt the ground shake each time the monster's paws struck the ground the whole area shook. The monster came to me the massive shadow looming over me before Ruby appeared like a bolt of lightning! Ruby slashed down on the monster creating a _deep_ gouge on its neck! The monster roared Ruby's strike knocking it off balance as one of its massive paws slammed down, the things shear force carried it forward as it prepared to smite me.

"AH hell! Here goes nothing!" I screamed I dropped the torch allowing me to grip my shield readying it for a block as the monster's paw struck! There was a _thud!_ Of metal, on flesh, I was sent flying like a pebble on a lake.

"Jaune!?" Ruby screamed as the blow made me feel like I was made of _jelly_. I felt my arms turn to liquid as my legs seemed to vanish. There was a feeling of floating as I flew the blow, hurling me as a _crack!_ I hit the wall hard. I screamed in pain before slowly sliding down the wall.

I coughed up blood I saw my stats my health was at twenty-one out of one sixty.

That blow took over forty hit points from me. One more put me on Death's Door. I vomited up blood again the thick crimson fluid that tasted of copper left my mouth I tried to stand it was like I had glass in my veins.

I screamed out as I took a stance my vision spinning in pain-

"Jaune!? Jaune! Tell me you are ok!?"

"I am dying!" I gagged Ruby ran up to me right as the monster roared! It began to charge us again the deep wound Ruby made on it was leaking deeply blood splattered the ground and decent chunk of its health was missing. Its heavy paws _thudded_ on the floor as it ran at us. The monster roared in anger Ruby picked me up I felt my legs shake.

"Jaune you have to get to cover-

"No! If I run, I die. You need to kill it."

"But you are going to die!"

"Maybe. But if that thing gets to us we're already dead so please! Focus on killing that thing, and I'll tank." I said smirking even if I felt my legs shattering.

"Jaune… I-

"Just kill that thing. Please? For me?" I asked the ground shaking as the monster got closer and closer before Ruby nodded.

"I got it! I'll kill it!" Ruby said as she sprinted away as the Elder Beowulf bore down on me. I raised my shield I knew it was a pointless gesture the monster slammed down knocking me to the side. The force of a avalanches hit me as _DONG!_ The massive donging sound of a bell tolled filled my head.

I felt my bones shatter my body felt like it was broken as I gagged. My health reached zero, and I saw the words. **Death's door** passes over my head. I Vomited up blood as the monster born back down. I saw Ruby bear down, striking it from its legs haunches and back. She attacked it like her life depended on it, and it did, both of ours did as she struck like lightning!

The monster fell once staggering it snapped at Ruby, the massive paws flew out at the Reaper. The Elder Beowulf was fast not as fast as Ruby thankfully, but it was _closed._ It was like a bear trying to swat a hummingbird. While the bird was infinitely more nimble, all it would take was once strike or a glance to kill it. And if Ruby died, I was next.

"HEY! YOU! Over here!" I screamed the monster stopped its attack Ruby took the hint vanishing from sight in a red blur. Seeing only one human, it lunged the entire mass hurling me as I groaned.

"Well come on then! Bring it!" I screamed as the monster charged…

The battle was chaos time, and time again, the monster struck down at me. The massive _DONG!_ Of my passive filled the air. The monster struck me again and again. Again and again, I felt the feeling of my _soul_ ripped from my body. I felt the monster strike me. I took every hit that it threw at me. I screamed, crying as the monster slashed again and again. It battered me down and tossed me over the arena. Time and time my passive triggered and time and time I felt myself get closer to death and utter eradication and-

"DIE!" Ruby screamed she blurred her eyes flashed silver as she dove at the monster-like some kind of corkscrew! She slashed it up and down landing number hits, ripping it apart as the monster _fell_ …

The thing crashed down with one final _THUD!_ It slammed down as it was killed. Ruby's Rune the minor Rune of bleeding did its job. The monster health bar was slowly ticking down. And every wound dealing a _percent_ of the monsters health was too much for it to take. The red bar went down faster and faster even as I was tossed back and forth like some kind of pebble on the lake's surface.

In the end, it cracked down a lake of blood behind it gave one final breath before I roared stabbing it through its eye killing the monster as Ruby did the same attack at the top of its skull. The monster groaned once then went still. The monster fell and disintegrated, as soon as it bleeds out finally defeated, I yelled in victory.

"Ruby! We did it!"

"Jaune! We cleared the dungeon!" Ruby gripped me launching into a massive hug that was so tight a _DONG!_ Was heard as she triggered my passive by hugging too hard.

"AH! I'm sorry!" Ruby yelped backing off of me as I smiled.

"It's fine just don't kill me, ok?" I asked as I joked the monster fell. In turned into a fountain of Lien, weapons and-

"Health potion!" I screamed Ruby picked up the potion talking to me, forcing me to drink.

I gained ten health taking me off Death's door.

"Are you ok?!"

"I… I have ten health left, I have two broken legs, and I think I am going to pass out from the pain but otherwise? I'm just _dandy."_

/ / /

"Well, I have to say. Besides being foolish, suicidal, and downright moronic! You two did well. Jaune your health is at fifty for now. You will be healed more at the Clerics. Ruby, you did well keeping Jaune alive and allow me to be the _first_ to announce your victory as the first of the first years to clear a dungeon." Sarah, the newest Cleric, nurse a human woman with blue hair and green eyes side.

Me and Ruby nodded but too tired to talk. Our loot was taken by Velvet when we returned. The dungeon, after being bested, showed us the way out. A path appeared in the boss's chamber leading us right to our entrance that we came. Soon the Dungeon vanished, disappearing into nothing as we dragged our way out and left for Beacon...

/ / /

"Do you think it took the ocean? When the dungeon fell did the ocean go to?" Ruby asked as we shuffled our way to class my health was back at full and except for the 60/100 stress I was good as new.

"I don't know Ruby, but what I do know? I am ready to just have a day." I said we _both_ gained five levels off the boss. Pushing our health up I mow had 180 as my base a full 20 plus bonus. We opened the door and-

"AH! Good show! Ladies and Gentlemen! Our very own dungeon cleaners! Ruby Rose! And Jaune Arc!" Port yelled, announcing us I saw Blake's eyes _narrow_ Yang's eyes flamed as Weiss gave me a look that I felt chills my blood.

"I think they are mad…"

"No Ruby, they are _livid,"_ I said as I felt the room _explode._

* * *

 **AN: And that's it! Now that this is done we are going to Atlas! The battle won Jaune made it out but there is stress in his life! And like most things, it is a slow and insidious killer! Until next time! Branwen is next!**

* * *

 **Stats.**

 **Name Jaune Arc**

 **Level 39**

 **Stress 60/100**

 **Health 180/180**

 **Strength 68 +8 Rune**

 **Charisma 12 +3**

 **Intelligence 12**

 **Perception 22 +2**

 **Constitution 46 +6**

 **Dexterity 18+2**

 **Intelligence 11**

 **Wisdom 9**

 **Lien7,227**

 **MP NA**


	11. Atlas chilled

**AN: Alright! Now for another chapter of Brave Sir Robinson! Jaune has to deal with a new land, the cold comes for all and there are sounds in his head? We have a bit of a time skip for the chapter so that is a fact! The story is in the second part of its length so, please! Enjoy...**

* * *

I never thought that Weiss could have been more intimidating then when she lectured me of the Grimm sloth but now?  
"I don't know what to say! Both of you are _beyond_ incompetent! If I had any say I would break your heads open with my staff and try to shove some common sense into you ah!" Weiss screamed as she almost fell the sea waves pushing her forward the boat we were on groaned and rocked with the waves as I sighed.

It was still a week since we had come back from our first dungeon. The battle while a success was taxing. I had barely come out of that fight with my life and I had the strangest noise in my ears. It was almost like the sound you would get if your crumpled parchment and began to break the little pieces of it in your hands.

It was faint but it was ever-present I had no idea what it was and no one not even Blake seemed to be able to hear it. Speaking of Blake… my girlfriend had not taken well to my near-death experience and a week later was still _firmly_ sitting on my lap not letting me out of her sight. And for the grace of the light, my compass needle pointed Frimley at her. Not letting her out of its radius as I sighed.

 _Thank Oum for minor miracles._

"Jaune. Don't think for a second that you are out of the woods here. I am _still_ upset at you." Blake glared down at me. Her piercing amber eyes forced me to look away from her as I gulped loudly. The ship's rocking and the sound of waves hitting our boat made me groan as I found out that there was something called seasickness. And I had a bad case of it, something Yang had learned the hard way when less than an hour in and I had vomited near! But not on her boots not that she charged for it…  
"I know… I'm sorry."  
"Sorry doesn't cut it! If either of you tries this again I will hog-tie you to a pole and make you level up by stabbing captured Grimm!"  
"That… that sounds very hard Weiss…" Ruby eeped out the Reaper quivering under Weiss's baleful glare as she growled. Ruby was also refusing to look into Weiss or Blake's eyes the small reaper than had according to her own words gone up over five levels since our foray into the dungeon.

Our return to Beacon was not taken well or it was taken as well as it could have been. Screaming yelling and our guild nearly ripping our heads off for being stupid. Well really Ruby got the _brunt_ of their ire and I honestly could not blame them. She had more or less forced me to go with her on a near suicide dungeon raid and we had both barely gotten out with our lives. And now my stress was back to thirty out of one hundred. I saw the numbers holding steady over my head but with my charms and Runes, I had been able to negate any negative effects caused by them. I looked around the cabin that was shaking as the waves buffeted us the small boat the _Stubborn_ had been chartered to take us to Atlas. Ozpin had paid for all travel expenses our yearly mission had come sooner than expected, something was happening in Atlas and we needed to get there _now._

 _I just wish I could level up a bit more. I don't think that I can take on much more than my own level now._ I sighed as I checked my inner level currently it was thirty-six. The dungeon raid had done wonders for me and I was now almost at twenty in all stats and was well over my nat thirty in some of them.

"You two are to stay apart for the rest of the trip! I don't want to deal with any schemes or chicanery with the two of you ok!?" Weiss shouted the Mage fuming as me and Ruby nodded.  
"Yes, Weiss." We said as Weiss sighed shaking her head the Mage took a deep breath smoothing out her outfit as she smiled sharply at us flashing her perfect white teeth to the three of us.

"Excellent! Then Ruby come with me! We will go to my room to rest Jaune… Blake, I'm assuming you can handle him here?"  
"I'll keep an eye on him. He won't be going anywhere with me here.' My lover who was now seemingly doubling as my jailor said as I sighed.

"Good. See that he does not leave this room save to eat and walk. I can't have you dying of atrophy." Weiss said dragging Ruby out of the room as she waved to me.

"Bye Jaune! Blake!"  
"Come on!"  
"Yes!" Ruby yelped as Weiss pulled her out leaving me and Blake alone and-  
"So. You are going to _promise_ me that this will never happen again."  
"I promise you."  
"Under threat of my anger."  
"Which is worse than death."  
" _Much_ worse than death."  
"I will not do anything like this again."  
 _Krcht!Krecht!_ I winced as I heard it, the sound of crumpling parchment that was being crushed and balled up filled my ears. I winced in pain as I felt my head throb my stress went up by one. A solitary dagger fell on my shoulder piercing my skin as the number ticked over.

"You hear it again?" The Assassin asked frowning Blake's shimmering eyes looked over my head full of concern as I nodded.

"Yeah… I have not been able to stop hearing it." I admitted as Blake frowned she narrowed her eyes furling her ears as she strained to listen to the sound that only I can hear.  
"I still can't hear it. Maybe it's something to do with you being in the Dungeon?"  
"I asked Oobleck about it in Beacon. He said that there was nothing that he knew of that could cause this. And he was just as curious as you."  
"And just as unable to help?"  
"Just as," I said grinning as Blake sighed she leaned back giving me an unintentional look at her chest. Pushed up by her once again donned tight purple top. Blake had picked her standard Assassin garb a mix of purple robes and pants that made her seem able to _blend_ into the environment around her.

Blake saw my stare I failed whatever perception test that I had been given as she smirked.

"See something you like?" Blake purred making my cheeks flush and turn a bright scarlet as I coughed roughly looking anywhere but her top as I frowned.  
"N-no! I was just…"  
"Staring at my breast?" Blake asked an infuriatingly smug grin on her face as I groaned.  
"I… yes I was you are beautiful ok? Cut me some slack?"  
"I would cut you more slack if you did not almost get killed. Jaune… I know that Ruby is your friend and I know you are closed to her… but you can _not_ risk your life for her own dreams. You know this right?" Blake asked the smug leaving her face replaced with a hard stare that could have cut steel as I nodded gulping loudly.

"Yeah, I got it, babe. I won't do it again."  
"Good. I'll hold you to that. If you do it again you will have more than just an angry Glynda to deal with ok?" Blake asked as I smiled, taking a huge risk to both my personal safety and my future as I reached out a hand for her head. Her twin quivering black cat ears flickered as my hand reached for her head.

"Jaune? What are you doing?" Blake asked curious but not defensive as I simply put my hand on her head and _rubbed_. The reaction was instantaneous Blake went ramrod straight. Her body went stiff as a board as I began to rub the top of her head. Blake's eyes went wide as saucers as I rubbed her cat ears.

 _So soft, like silk_.  
"Jaune?! What are you doing!?"  
"Just petting your head," I said Blake did not make any immediate motion to get up or stab me in my neck so I assumed that she was ok with me petting her. Her eyes looked me up and down as her breath began to rise and fall in her chest as-

"But why!? What did I ever do to you!?"  
"Umm… nothing?"  
"Then why are you petting me?!"  
"Because I want to? I think you are cute and I want to make you comfortable?" I asked as Blake's blush deepened she brought up her hands and for a second I was afraid she was going to put me into the ground. And when you still counted the massive discrepancy in our relative strength levels that was not a hard prospect for her to manage. As she flushed her soft ears that were much softer than I had thought possible as-

" _C-can…._ Can you stop?" Blake asked blushing as I froze gulping fearing I had pushed too far I relented and for a second I saw Blake frown as if she was sad I had stopped petting as-

"I have to use the washroom!" Blake bolted up before freezing she shivered as I saw her revulsion in her body.  
"Still not used to a different washroom?"  
"I will _never_ be used to a public washroom." Blake shook as she walked out of the room, the room rocking again the wood creaking and groaning as-

"You can walk around the ship but if you are not in the sight of one of the guilds you are going to be in trouble you hear?"  
"Yeah, I got it."  
"Good. Now try to get some rest and don't throw up on anyone else ok?"  
"That was an accident!"  
"Tell _Yang_ that," Blake said leaving the room as I sighed.  
"I tried…" I numbered as the ship creaked and groaned as I felt my guts wrench. As the ship rocked and groaned the room that I had to share with Blake was spacy about as big as mine in the guild. Twenty paces long and fifteen across and tall enough for me to stand with a good foot before the ceiling. The floor groaned as the lone bed shifted under me.

The room had a lone dresser with one mirror to cheek yourself.  
As I groaned I decided to leave the room as I sighed to myself checking myself for the _light_ armor that I had been taken to wearing when I was not in combat.  
"I'll take you," I said as I took Crocea Mors with me. I had chosen to never be undamaged as I made my way out of my room and unto the top of the ship.

/ / / / /

The air was _horrible_. The frigid Atlas air stabbed into my body as I shivered. The air was so cold I saw my breath as the ship rocked on the water. Large bodies of ice followed by a thick sea of mist that surrounded us on all sides, wrapping the ship in a low pale almost milky curtain making it impossible to see the water beyond a few feet. The boat dipped and groaned the waves were calm but there was still _chop_ as the captain called it that made the ship ebb and flow.

"So cold, how the hell can anyone even live here?" I asked shivering the mist seemed to be alive like some kind of monster of the night. I felt the warmth sapped from my arms the thick fur padding that Ozpin had luckily given us all before we left kept most of the warmth on me but I swore the mist knew every in and out of my cloth because I felt it's icy tendrils stab into me like daggers.

"I should get under the deck."  
"You cold too?" Ruby asked I turned to see the small Reaper wrapped in an oddly color-coded outfit. She had a massive fur top that covered everything from the top of her shoulder to past her knees. The thick red fur that came from some kind of best must have been warm because that combined with a pair of thick gloves and deep black boots made the small girl perfectly toasty or so I thought.

 _She's not shivering so that's good?_  
"Ruby? What happened to Weiss? Did you get away from her?"  
"Yeah, she's getting into an argument with Yang over the dinner."  
"Dinner? What's wrong with the dinner?"  
"Yang wants something besides fish and Weiss is saying that she should be grateful she is even fed."  
"Besides fish? We are in the ocean what else lives here?" I asked as the boat shook bumping into something on the side probably an iceberg that was what the chunks of frozen water were called right? I wondered if one of them could break open the boat, Weiss said it would be hard but…

"Well, Weiss said that we can eat sharks? Apparently there are other things like sea lions and manatees that we can eat but I have never seen one." Ruby shrugged as the boat thumped again. We definitely hit something as I swore I saw something in the mist.

 _What the hell is that?_ I asked as I saw what looked like from the distance long whips of air? Whips of air flickered down and around the mist like the massive tentacles of some deep-sea Grimm lashing out and flickering around as I shook my head it was just the mist.

 _Probably nothing._ I thought as-

"RUBY ROSE! Get back here!"  
"Oh! That's me… I think I have to go bye Jaune! I"ll tell Blake that you are up here in case she wants to go find you!" Ruby chirped speeding off in a blur of red as I sighed.

"Well, that just leaves me here. Alone. As usual." I thought as I looked out into the thick mist the mist appeared to have somehow gotten thicker? Overtime. I looked out peering into the sea of milk-white mist that was solidifying by the second.

"That's strange…" I thought as I wiped my hand over the mist, the mist parted but it felt like I was forcing my hand through wax. The mist was hard almost like a massive chunk of was as I narrowed my eyes.

"That is new… does it always do that?"  
"Don't worry sonny. It's just the sea playing tricks on you. You get used to it." A large man with skin like oak said walking past me. He has _Sailor_ above his head as I let out a deep sigh.  
"Well if he says so," I said as I swore I was seeing more and more of them, theses odd tentacles? That was the word, right? Long thin ropey things flew into the air reaching out and clasping the mist. The mist seemed to change color going a light shade of red as I felt a bigger shiver run down my side like ice water had been put down my head.  
"What the hell?" I asked again as the long tentacles reached out and hit the ship!?

The slim ghost-like tentacles reached out and touched the tip of the ship and latched on. The ship did not seem to notice. The thing was massive over half the size of the Beacon entry gate and twice as long. I gulped as I saw the thin lines touch out ship the Stubborn shoved them off uncaring as a hog to a gnat sting as it plowed on the massive sails began to tent and-

"Is that a hole?" I asked as a small hole? A small hole appeared in the top of one of the massive sails, even if the ship was powered by magic the sails helped the travel and-  
"What the hell is tearing it?" I asked as more and more of the thin ghost-like tendrils latched on and-

There was a sound that I _felt_ more than heard. There was the sound of boulders cracking of mountains breaking as one second I was standing on my feet looking up at the sheets being torn the next? I was thrown flung like a pebble on a like as something crashed into out boat sending the Stubborn flailing to the left.

I hit the deck like a _rock_.

 _Wham!_ I felt the wood explode on my face blood splattered the deck as I gasped, pain bright white and hot flashed in my vision as I groaned. I felt my legs spasms as lightning bolts of pain traveled down my body as I gasped.

"AH!" I screamed in pain as I slammed into a wall. I groaned in pain as I stood up on shaky legs. The boat rocked as a massive wave of water washed over me crashing down forcing me to the ground and soaking me to my bones. I shivered biting back pain as I felt icicles dig into my skin as I groaned.

 _Cold dead hands._ I shook my sword was shaking my hand on the hilt as I groaned my passive kept the blade on my hands as I groaned.

"Come on! I don't have time for sea legs!" I shouted forcibly willing my legs up I had lost ten points on health putting me to 180/190 as I gulped loudly-

"Burn the masts!"  
"Kill the crew!"  
"Be quick lads! We only have half an hour bere metal twig gets here!" A loud feminine voice said as I gasped!

 _Fucking pirates!? Really!?_ I asked as the ship was boarded another ship had slammed into us a massive metal jaw like prow broke into out ship snapping a good amount of the Stubborn in half! The Stubborn thankfully just like its name had stubbornly refused to yield far and was plowing forward the mist only intensified as-

"Wait stop!" I shouted figures fell off the ship a pair of bright red eyes found me as-

"Oh? Looks like I got something special! Come at me little Partisan I wonder if I can level up?" A woman with the word _Corsair_ on the top of her head shouted. She was tall with a full suit of-

 _Armor?_ I thought as the woman was decked out head to toe in thick black body armor. Her armor looked well forged by someone that knew what they were doing. She had a long red sword with a curved end in one hand and a tied up mass of inky black hair on her head. She pointed her blade at me as I took a deep breath.

"Ok. Here goes nothing." I hissed as I drew Crocea Mors the dark blade flashed as she smirked.

"So you _do_ have a spine, don't you? Glad to see! Always a bit more fun when they put up a fight you know?" She asked as she bent her knees and sprung at me!

 _Just like you have been practicing. Hold._ I thought as she slammed into me the sound of metal crashing into metal filled my ears my shield blocked the first hit as she pushed me back. I grunted as an ox pushed into me. She was hilariously stronger than me and only my shield and the placement of my feet kept me from sliding back.

I grunted as she smirked showing off rows of perfect teeth as she grinned savagely.

"You are strong! It will do you good to be this tough!" She said pushing her blade out the long hook catching my armor forcing a deep rent into it as I grunted. I felt my metal tear as-

" _Shake."_ She said as her blade _bit_ into my plate. The spell activated making my armor shake as it sundered! There was a mighty crack! As a melon-sized pit appeared in my chest my armor collapsed as she smirked. My plate vanished crumpling like dirt in the wind as I hissed.

"Back off!" I slammed my head into hers making a loud clap! Of flesh on flesh as I head-butted her nose. Our faces met there was a flash of pain between my face as the _crack!_ Filled the air, blood flew from my nose as my health chipped down by a few points.

"AH!" She gasped blood flying from her face as she backed off.

 _This is my chance!_ I thought driving my blade right into her chest! She saw the blade coming. She twisted into me as the blade bit into her chest. The blade cut into her armor not scoring a critical hit but I felt the blade hit her softer flesh!

She hissed before twisting allowing me to turn the blade cutting more into her side before her hooked blade slashed down cutting into my cheek!  
I screamed in pain as blood flew from my face! Her hook caught in my jaw tearing out a whole section of my cheek!

"AHHH!" I shrieked in pain my health dropped another twenty points as my cheek was torn off!  
"Hah! You bleed nice! I wonder what else you can no nicely?" She asked pulling back licking the blade once as I gulped.

 _Fuck! Fuck me it hurts!_ I screamed internally balancing myself as my own screams filled my ears metal met metal shouts screams and other sounds filled out the cacophony of battle as I faced off with my Corsair opponent.

"Tell me Partisan. What's your plan to meet your gods? Do you think your passive will save your life? Or do you think my metal will end it?" She asked before darting back. I swung back into her attack my blade was wider than hers. That meant that I should if I clashed with her have the better chance!

The blades met in a hard clang! Of metal, sparks flew everywhere as I pushed into her only for her to force me back her blade sliding into my attack I swore the blade _curved_ into the attack striking into my chest! I let out a scream of pain blood flew out from me as the attack took thirty more points off. I was passed one forty in healthy and I now had a -

"It's called _bleeding_. If you don't get it taken care of you are going to bleed to death. Not right now but a point of health per second? Oh, I think your life is about to run out Mister Partisan! I hope you give me some good XP!" She shouted slamming into me as-

There was another crash something _massive_ crashed into the enemy ship. The Stubborn was knocked clean out of the jaws of the other ship and we both were flung out!"  
"What the fuck!?" She shouted dropping her guard for a moment as-  
"DIE!" I shouted as I drove my blade into her back! This time the blade was able to penetrate her back doing a critical amount of damage to her!

"AH! Fuck off!" She screamed the blade exited from the other side of her as-

"Surrender! You are all under arrest for the high crime of piracy!" A massive booming voice said a gust of frigid air that chilled my legs so hard they threatened to buckle came. A ship with a massive snowflake crashed into the enemy ship and a Mage?  
Stood at the bow his hands clasping a staff that forced the mist away as more ships came as-  
"Oh fuck me… Iron twat!" The woman gasped gaining the Mage's attention in a second he snapped his fingers.

A massive growth of ice appeared on her feet soo sealing her in a solid block of ice as-

"Boss!" A voice yelled as I yanked my blade out! I spun blocking an attacked before-

The sound of meat tearing filled my air I pushed my blade through something soft and wet. A gasp left a woman's mouth as another Corsair had my blade run her through killing her on the spot.

"Boss?" She asked her green eyes flickered before she fell back and I drew my blade from her guts making a horrifying wet squelching sound filled the air like wringing out a sponge thick with syrup.

"I…" I froze my limbs shook, a human was dead?  
 _I… I killed a person?_ I thought as I felt a wave of nausea rise up in my guts. The woman fell as-

I gained three levels. I went past forty as I saw the dead woman fall memories filled my head as-

 _You will never level up quicker than when you kill your fellows. Remember that._ Ooblekc's words sounded in my head as I saw more of the Atlas personal board the ship clearing the decks as I wanted to scream.

/ / / / /

"I am _truly_ sorry for this." The man Ironwood said as I winced.

"I am sorry." A Cleric in smooth white robes said as she ran a wand over my face successfully healing me as-  
"I wish I could stay to chat but I have more work to do. Think of this as my personal apology to you and welcome to Atlas." The Mage smiled, he was young. Younger than I thought no more than thirty with a small scruffy beard thick black hair that was short and well kept. A massive perfect white outfit of a shirt and pants and clean black boots. He held his staff a level three? In his hands, as he left the Cleric finished healing my face putting my health back to full as she sighed.  
"You lost some health but the bleed was a nasty one. Try not to take anymore alright?" She asked as I nodded.  
"I will."  
"Good boy now get out there you are in Atlast territory now enjoy it."

/ / / / /

"You lived here?"  
"Yes, Jaune. This was my home…" Weiss said as I saw Atlas proper it was… cold. _Very cold._ I felt like me just breathing the air was going to freeze my lungs solid. All around us was the bustle and moving of people industry had grown here. The dock was a buzz of people a mass of Npc's swung about as-

"Sparks! Move!"  
"On it Crack!"  
"Move you, idiots! The captain will be pissed if we are docked to long!"  
"Yes Snap!"  
"What are these names? Sailor talk?"  
"No… most NPC's in Atlas do not have names assigned as birth but instead have only numbers. It is quite common for most to seek work in the dockyards that accept all kinds and make up new nicknames for themselves." Weiss said as I saw a massive gleaming literally gleaming city above us I step off the doc now onto the cold ground of Atlas proper. The city was… massive. I did not know that a city could even look at this…

"Shiny," I said as well that was the best way to describe the city, massive tall blue silver cylinders shot out of the ground glowing and glittering like dazzling snowflakes. The massive structures shot up far into the gloomy frost-covered skies, some of them going so far up that they pierced the clouds themselves and disappeared past my line of sight.

"Nothing like back home is it?" Weiss asked before taking a deep breath-  
"Here goes nothing," Weiss said as she took a deep breath and jumped off the dock landing on the steps and gulping! Her hands clenched as she looked around checking her dress the sky and-  
"Huh… I"m alive?"  
"Did you expect to burst into bits or something?"  
"I… I don't know… I didn't know what to expect it has been a long time since I have been here."  
"And it will be a _long_ time before you can come back." A cool calm voice said as I turned, a _beautiful_ woman stood before me. She was taller than me or Weiss with hair like Weiss's a face oddly familiar?

 _She looks like Weiss but older?_ I thought as a taller Mage with a sword on her side and a cold look on her face. She was dressed in heavy thick fur coats that were the color of milk. She glared down at Weiss as-  
"Hello… Winter… It's been some time…"  
"Yes. Yes, it has sister." The woman growled as I coughed.

 _Sister? She's related to her? I don't think that this is going to be happy._ I thought as I slowly reached for my shield-  
"The last time I saw you, you were sentenced to never step foot on Atlas soil again."  
"And I won't! Didn't'!"

"Says the Mage with her feet planted firmly on Atlas territory." Winter spat as Weiss shook like a leaf in the breeze not able to look Winter in her eyes as she gulped.  
"I.. I have a special permit to be here right now-"  
"I know of your permit _sister._ And I also know that you know the consequences of failure. You are on a probationary visa to Atlas."

"Visa?" I asked as Weiss coughed elbowing me in the side making me wince.

"Think a travel pass. It allows me to be here without issue."  
"Oh… I see."  
"Not _without_ issue Weiss. I should advise you to not tell your partisan false words of the land. You are here on _very_ circumstantial factors. I am here to relay the conditions of your travel. You are to keep your person to restricted areas at all times during the day. You will be resigned to the main Atlas garrison and you are forbidden to leave unless going on your assignment or with a military escort. You are not to harm _any_ NPC while in Atlas nor are you interact with any outside the garrison. If you fail to meet any of these conditions are found to be conspiring against Atlas in any way you will be hung on the spot. Do I make myself clear?"  
"Yes Sis- yes Winter," Weiss said bowing as Winter took a deep breath.

"Well ok then. If you know that then welcome to Atlas I hope you will find your stay beneficial." Winter said before sighing as her icy demeanor melted as a warm smile split her face.  
"Welcome home Weiss.' WInter said walking forward wrapping her young sibling in a tight hug making Weiss shiver, she shook again as her hands stuck out like twigs both pointing dead ahead as she looked unsure of whether to hug her sibling and-

Weiss took her own deep breath before wrapping her arms around Winter's waist as she hugged back.  
"It is good to see you too Winter," Weiss said as her sister rubbed the top of her head.  
"The feeling is mutual is good to have you back." Winter smiled down as-

"Oh? And who is he?" Winter asked her eyes locking onto mine as-  
"Ah! He is my NPC! He is my charge…" Weiss said as Winter's eyes narrowed on the two of us as she froze on the spot.

"I see… Jaune? Is it? I do not know you personally but I hope that you treat my sister well. She will be in _your_ care…"

/ / / / /

"Once again. I would like to extend my _fullest_ apologies for all that has transpired. I do hope that this has not given you a negative opinion of our nation." Ironwood said as I nodded. I felt Blake pulled into my arm she had been injured in the fighting. Another Assassin had found her and had almost put her down. But she won when Ruby accidentally crashed into her assailant allowing her to slice his throat and allowed her the reprieve to win.

She did take a nasty gash to her side but besides that, she was thankfully alive and well. She stared ahead at the tall Mage as he coughed the guild was assembled thankfully we had taken no casualties and-

 _I killed a man._ The thoughts of the dying man filled my head, that was my first human kill and…

 _It did not feel bad? I didn't feel anything… after the first shock?_  
"It's fine sir?"  
"Please call me James Jaune. We have brought you here to be our guests and to help us with a personal problem. The least I can do is let you call me by my name." The man said as he took a long drink from a flask sighing before his eyes glared down at us. His eyes a dark storm cloud color bore into all of us as the swirling clouds of grey that loomed in the back of the top floor of the Atlas garrison tower rumble as thunder began to sound low distant booms rocked the glass as he sighed.

"I will be blunt. I have called you all in early because things are not what they seem." The man said as I saw Blake's faunus ears go flat on her head. She glared at the man as her ears went flat on her head.

"And what does this mean? Sir?" Weiss asked as James shook his head again.  
"Weiss I was friends with your mother. You do not need to address me so formally none of you do. Please. James." The man said as Weiss gulped the Mage had been off-kilter since she set foot in Atlas and had not been taking it well.  
 _She must not be doing well back in her own home. I wonder if she had any friends?_ I thought as she righted herself smoothing out her dress as she coughed into her fist.

"Well, then James… what is the situation?"  
"Like I was going to tell Jaune, the situation has changed somewhat."  
"Somewhat? What does _somewhat_ mean?" Blake asked her eyes narrowed to slits as the man smiled. He did not seem to be the slightest bit bothered by an Assassin so close to him but that might just be to a level gap.

 _He is probably so much stronger than her than he is not threatened._

"Simple or well not simple. The situation has gotten advanced. What started as basic bandit raids have turned into something much worse. Over the past few months, outlying bandit raid on NPC settlements began to increase in frequency. At first, it was just the usual stealing of gold funds livestock some prisoners to be ransomed or worse but that was the end of it."  
"In short nothing out of the ordinary," Winter said standing behind James silent as ever as he nodded.

"Yes. That is correct. But… in the last few weeks the raids have taken on a more brutal aspect. The settlements are being attacked and culled. They are killing the settlers for no reason."  
"What? There has to be some kind of reason." Pyrrha said as the man sighed a tired look on his face as he did.  
"No… not this time what started off as minimal casualties and extreme theft had turned to the outright slaughter of NPC's and the minimal theft. Gold is left in pockets livestock left alone and besides the killing of the townsfolk there appears to be no greater motivation to the raids."  
"So they are just murders then?" Nora asked the Barbain's eyes narrowed to slits as she tensed her grip on her weapon as James nodded.

"Well, that was our first guess."  
"Do you have another reason for the random killings?" Blake asked as Winter stepped up the mage smiled before she turned to James as he nodded to her.

"Go ahead."  
"Thank you, sir. Yes, we do have another reason Blake was it?"  
"Yes. That's it."  
"Very well. We have recently learned that instead of being killed a good amount of the people are being _captured_ by the bandits."  
"What for? More ransoms?" Yang asked her hands crossed over her chest lilac eyes evenly set as Winter shook her head.

"No. If that where the case things would be much simpler but… they are simply disappearing. We do not know what the purpose of their disappearance is but we do know that it seems like they are being taken for a purpose. For what that purpose may be I do not know."  
"So you brought us here to settle this?" Ren asked a confused look on his face as James sighed.

"Yes. I'm sorry we had to call you here this early."  
"Why us? Why did you need help from Vale? No offense James this seems like a problem for Atlas alone. Not for Beacon students." Blake said as blunt as possible as the man smiled.

"Well, that is what we thought as well but…"  
"The situation is delicate Blake. We are experiencing increased piracy raids on our shipping lanes and most of our forces are diverted there."  
"But what of your students? Don't you have an academy here?"  
"We do but… the academy here is more… liberal in student duties. We only have our mages pick quests that they think are worthy and-"  
"No one thinks the NPCs are worth their time do they?" Blake asked as Winter let out a deep sigh.

"That is one way to put it… and you would not be wrong."  
"But why? They are Heroes right! Shouldn't they just want to help them?" Ruby asked her eyes darting between Winter and James as they both sighed deeply.

"It may be hard to believe but here in Atlas, there is an air of. Superiority most Mages have when compared to other classes and an air of dismissiveness when compared to the NPC's of our kingdom... "  
"Not that hard to believe. Your entire government is built around Mage superiority. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest. You make people to think they are better than others, what do you expect from them?" Blake asked shrugging her hands pulling me into her chest as I gulped.

 _So soft._ I thought as my compass poked stubbornly at her.

Pointe toward Blake for once and-

 _Krcht! Krcht!_ The sounds of crumpling parchment filled my head once more as I groaned. I gripped the top of my head as I swore I heard something… it sounded… it sounded like breaking rocks and the sound of the wind flowing in my head I didn't know what the sound was but the feeling made a sliver of black knives from above my head and fall down into my skull.

I shivered as I felt my stress tick up. After the fight on the boat, I was at 48 out of a hundred and the sight of my knives falling made everyone tense just a bit.  
"I assure you! That I _personally_ would have seen to this matter myself if I could spare the time."  
"Spare the time? What else are you doing?" I was surprised to find the voice speaking my own and I was shocked to see that I had spoken out of turn like that.  
"I'm sorry! I-"  
"No. No, you are right. I am sorry that I can not do anything myself at the moment but there are more pressing matters that call to my attention."  
"More so than the vanishing of your citizens?" Ruby asked her arms folded the Reaper showing concern must be putting James and Winter off foot as they both looked at the other.

"Yes… there are more than just the villagers to look out for Ruby. I don't expect you to be able to know everything but we need to see the bigger picture here. I need to look out for my entire kingdom, not just the outlines."  
"The head mage is correct. He is stressed as he is right now, his attention is pulled out to every way he can not afford to attend to everyone. There are fires all over and he has to prioritize the inferno over the shrub embers."  
"Even the smallest spark can become the largest inferno that leads to a cataclysm if you let it," Blake said nodding sagely as the head of Atlas sighed.

"You are more than correct in that statement. If a society can not address the issues of all it's citizens then it has no right to be called a society. I will fix this issue or I will see it end me." James said as I coughed, I felt my sideburn a bit. Some residue from the battle fatigue and the damned sound!

 _I don't know what the hell that is but it won't stop!_ I thought the sound seemed to be growing louder and louder, three more knives fell into my skull pushing me to 51 and-

 _Elron._ I heard something, something not words played in my head as I blinked.

"Who said this?" I asked as James paused cocking his head as he looked around.  
"Said what Jaune?"  
"I… did you just say something that sounded like… Eron?"  
"No… I did not." The mage said looking around as Winter shrugged as Blake pulled me closer.  
"Hey. Calm down. You got this ok?" Blake said smiling up to me as I gulped I heard something and the sake cackling? Sound like the crumpling of paper had grown louder, it was known a steady buzz in my head slightly drowning out all other sounds as James coughed.

"As I was saying. We could not spare or well… find the help for this so as an act of allegiance between Vale and Atlas I am bringing you all in to deal with that. You will find the bandits. Kill them all. Bring back any surviving NPCs that you find and besides a hefty payment from me and my kingdom you will have the eternal gratitude of our nation." The man said as Weiss coughed strutting up as she smiled her best professional look.

"We humbly accept. We will do our best to keep the captives alive and bring those that have wronged them to justice."  
"That is all I can ask. Thank you very much. And we all want you to know that you are our guests here. You are welcome to all parts of the Garrison as long as you do not cause an issue with the day to day running, please. Welcome to Atlas make yourself at home."

/ / / / /

"What the hell is wrong with him? I don't have the time to spare? I mean I don't want to die as much as anyone but hell! Come on man we are _Heroes!_ It's what we do! We have to save lives or like what's the point of even having power?" Yang asked as she paced back and forth, she was frowning as I saw the Brawler show a strange amount of concern for others not in the guild.

Yang paced up and down a small common room that James had provided us. I sat on a very comfy red couch that I sank down into the fabric of. I sighed as Blake also looked like she was not a fan of the way Atlas ran things.

"How do they not care about others? If that was Vale we would _make_ some Heroes go out to save them! We would not let this happen! We would have Heroes or military! Or something!"

"Well if they Heroes do not wish to get out and risk their heads then what the hell is the Military going to get into? They spent their lives fighting why would they risk it so that they can keep?" Ren asked as the Monk sighed he knew that there was almost nothing keeping the Military out of the matter but a direct order from one of their rulers.

"So what do we do? I mean we just kill some bandits and go home right? That's easy."

 _Solm._ I winced in pain the sound? Came back as I let out a whimper. I felt Blake's hand grip my own as her fingers interlaced mine she frowned as her sparkling amber eyes glistened.

"Are you ok? You don't look well… is it the sound?" Blake whispered as-

"Sound? What sound? Do you hear a sound, Ren?"  
"No Nora I do not," Ren said wincing knowing that Blake meant for that to be private but Nora and privacy when a long together just as well as Ruby and slow. Nora looked around squinting as if she was attempting to _see_ the sound in front of her.

Nora squinted as Weiss paused her eyes narrowing blue eyes narrowed as I felt my charm burn in my pocket. Weiss was attempting to use some kind of spell on me as-  
"Sound? _Blake._ Is there something that I should know?" Weiss asked her eyes locked onto mine as-

"No. Not really." Blake said neutrally as Weiss bought none of it.  
"So there is something that I should know?"

"No. It's just, Jaune has been hearing a sound for some days and it's not that big of a deal."  
"What? A sound? Like what?" Weiss asked some concern in her eyes as she looked like she did not know if she should be angry or not yet.

"It's just… I'm hearing a sound ok? It's nothing."  
"It might not be nothing Jaune. You took some severe injuries in the dungeon. A persistent sound in your head could be a result of long term brain injury. If you do not look into it, this could be serious." Weiss said frowning as she shook her head, her long silver hair swaying as she groaned.

"Weiss is right Jaune. You need to look into things like this before they get worse. If you let them develop things might get worse than they are." Ren said smiling helpfully. He was doing his best to make things easy for all of us but-

"I'm fine really! It's just something that I'm dealing with."

"How long has this been going on for? How long have you been experiencing this?"  
Weiss asked walking forward her eyes locked onto mine as she put a hand on my forehead.  
I saw Blake's eyes flash with a sign of territorial irritation before my compass finally coming in handy and not getting me killed pointed right toward Blake making her calm down a bit.

 _At least she put away her fangs._ I thought as Blake's fangs retracted sliding back into her face with a small _pop!_

"Well… it's been happening since I came out of the dungeon with Ruby. After we escaped I got taken care of and-"  
"So it has been happening _after_ the dungeon raid? But not before? You did not hear anything like this before?" Ren asked as a crack filled the air.

The massive ornate fireplace that was the size of a door frame cracked and popped as the large fire keeping us warm as the Atlas weather blazed. I never knew that a snowstorm could have lighting with it but that was what was happening as-

"I… yes after the dungeon after I went to the healers they sent me away with my clean bill of health. After that? They told me that I was fine and I left."  
"So they told you were clear and you heard the sound _after_ you were let out of the healing tents?" Weiss asked her brow furrowed. She was obviously hoping it was something that the healers could find but if Beacon could not find it out then I doubted that anyone else could.

Weiss came to the same conclusion as she gulped.  
"Well… if the healers of Beacon can not do anything maybe we should let the ones in Atlas try?"

 _KRCHT._ The crumpling grew louder as I winced in pain three more knives sunk into me even as the fireplace had been helping me my stress went up to 54. I winced again taking a deep breath.

"Jaune?" Blake asked rubbing my head it was not fun to have everyone know how stressed out you where. I smiled harshly as I grunted once, I felt hot sweat on my head as I felt my hands become calmly.

"I'm fine. I think I should just sleep." I said putting my concerns to the side. I grunted as I felt a wave of _nausea_ hit my head. I groaned as I felt the sound grows louder inside of me.

 _Krcht! Krcht!_ I whimpered as Blake stood up as I did.

"Take your time you don't have to push yourself."  
"I'm fine! I'm fine I'm just a bit tired ok?" I asked half smiling as I felt my vision swirl, I felt something in me change as I shook my head my palms continued to get sweaty as-  
"You have a fever," Weiss said her hand back on my head.  
"You need to rest. Blake and me will take you to bed. Please follow us."

/ / / / /

"Don't get up."  
"I won't."  
"If you need anything call me. I'm right next door and I'll hear you." Blake stated her eyes boring into me as-

"If you have any other concerns just call me or One seventy-nine," Weiss said motioning to the…

 _Maid?_ I thought as a Maid in a blue dress nodded to me. She had long black hair tanned skin and eyes like grass.

"I am here to assist you, brave Hero. Anything that you need please just tell me. Do not hesitate to ask." She said bowing as-  
"You have us here to help you Jaune. You don't have to worry about anything." Weiss said as I nodded I leaned back in my bed as I winced. I knew that we had a long time coming, I had no idea what we would face in the morning.

We were if what James said was to be true be sent out as soon as the sun crested the mountains.

"You will need rest Jaune. The day will be rough and we will be traveling a lot. Take your time." Blake said as they walked out of the room leaving me with One seventy-nine. The Main NPC of Atlas staid stiff as a board as soon as they left leaving me alone in a small room or small for Atlas. The room was three times as big as the one I had in the guild and was so much better furnished.

The floor was a rich red carpet the walls painted crimson. The windows massive and sealed. Keeping the harsh gale of the shrieking wind and the booming thunder out of the area.  
"The windows are sealed with magic. They will not break nor will they let the booming of thunder disturb your sleep. Please go to bed brave Hero. You will need your strength."

"I… what is your name One seventy-nine?"  
"You just said it." The NPC said not making a hint of emotion appear on her tanned skin as I sighed.  
"No, I mean what is your _real_ name. Didn't your parents give you one when you were born?"  
"What? Why would they get to name me? I was given the name of my birth record."  
"What?" I asked, not sure what the hell she was talking about as she cocked her head.

"When I was born I was the one hundredth and seventy-ninth birth of the NPC quarter. I was then given the name one seventy-nine to match that."  
"So… that's just the number of your birth?"  
"Yes. It was given to me as were the names of my parents."  
"And they were?"  
"Two seventy-five. And Three forty-two."

"Why not put them together and make you six seventeen?"

 _Is that right? I think I made the math right. Dammit, what is my intelligence?_  
"I do not understand how that would make sense. Six Seventeen is currently doing laundry for the group. If I was called her that would make things difficult."  
"That… that is not what I was trying to say."  
"Then what were you trying to say, brave Hero?" She asked genuine curiosity in her eyes as I sighed.  
"Nothing. Nothing at all.'  
"So I see. Very well then." She said going back to staring out of the window as the twin candles that lit my bedside flickered.

The was sloughing off of the candles as I found myself drawn to it as I swore it looked liked flesh?

 _The wax, it flows like flesh… Like molten globs of flesh-_

"Ok. That's enough of that."  
"Enough of what brave Hero?"  
"Jaune… just call me Jaune ok?"  
"As you wish brave Hero Jaune."  
"No! Just Jaune ok? You don't have to call me a brave Hero. I'm like you, you know?"  
"What? No, you are not. You are a Partisan. You assist Heroes in the battle against Grimm and rogue Hero. Your purpose is far greater than mine could ever be."

"That… that is not what I was trying to say."

 _Can she even think alone? She sounds so… not real, like plastic…_

"Ok. What are you trying to say?"  
"I… I started off like you just an NPC."  
"But then you _changed._ You evolved and now look at you. You fight monsters. I herd you cleared a dungeon with just you and the Reaper? Not even some Mages can do that! Don't tell anyone that I said that, please? I could get in trouble."

She asked showing what might be the first trace of her being an individual as I smiled.

"Thanks… I won't…"  
"Thank you brave-Jaune. Thank you." She said going back to standing silently as she looked back out to the storm raging silently in the distance. Winds whipped the glass as massive bolts of lighting landed down as snow slammed into the frame making no sound not even a _drop_ as the window stood strong against the wind and-

"Excuse me… One seventy-nine… how long are you going to stand there?" I asked as One seventy-nine looked at me as she paused.

"Until the norming comes. I am told to stay here and guard you while you sleep."  
"You are going to guard me?"  
"You are said to be sick? Or something wrong with your hearing. I will stand guard and make sure you do not attempt to weather any malady that will befall you."  
"I… can you leave? I mean what if I want some privacy…"  
"Do you wish to pleasure yourself? I can go to the waste closest if you wish-"  
"No!" I shouted blushing as she coked her head.

"Then what is the problem?"  
"I just! I just want to be alone for a bit ok? I think I need to think and I just have to be alone ok?"  
"I… I don't know… Miss Weiss asked me to watch over you and she told me you would ask me to leave."  
"I! Look I just have to rest a bit. I'm a _Brave_ Hero remember? I can take care of myself." I said as she sighed shaking her head.

"If you say so. I'll be right next door do not hesitate to call me Jaune. I bid you a night." She bowed leaving the room as I gasped. I did not just want her to be gone for some privacy but-

"Why are you that loud?!" I hissed as the sound of crumpling parchment filled my head it had grown so loud that it was blocking out every other sound in the room!  
The sound of the slowly flicking candles was drowned out as I heard it. The sound grew and grew, I felt my hands start to shake.

"I… Weiss… Blake!" I hissed the sound caught in my throat as the candles flickered as if they were in the storm, the crumpling reached a fever pitch! I heard nothing but the sound of ripping and tearing parchment, my heartbeat thumped! I felt my chest heave and push as I let my mouth open to let out a scream of shock as-

I saw the knives come out I have no idea how but they slammed down into me as I felt my stress break sixty shooting up well beyond either as-  
I heard it, the crumpling shearing sound reached a fever pitch! My eyes rolled up into the back of my head as the compelling went quiet all was quiet nothing, not the storm, or the beating of my heart, not even the candles made as sound but for a voice spoke to me. It was feminine and soft clearly that belonging to a woman and it _spoke_ but one word to me.

" _ **Hello**_ **."**

* * *

 **AN: And that's it! Voices in Jaune's head speak, someone is talking to him and he is about to learn what it means to _not_ talk to things that speak in your head when you are alone! A bit of a time skip but the next is exploring Atlas some action and lore! And also who the hell is in his head? After this, there is a double update! Branwen and Love Struck come to an end this week with their own endings and follow up stories soon after! Untill then! Stats!**

* * *

Stats.

Name Jaune Arc

Level 45

Stress 80/100

Health 230/230

Strength 88 +8 Rune

Charisma 15 +2

Intelligence 13 +1

Perception 24 +2

Constitution 51 +5

Dexterity 20

Intelligence 11

Wisdom 9

Lien13,896

MP NA

Skills.

 _Stroke the fire._ Creates heat to conduct Blacksmithing warning only your hands are immune to said heat.

 _Armorsmithing level four._ You can create armor for almost all people once you have the material.

 _Rune smithing._ You can now create moderate Runes of any type.

 _Blunt force._ Your attacks with strength-based weapons will now scale up to .75

Metallurgy. You can now forge any object that you can imagine of with metal. Requires resources.

Armorsmithing level 4. You can now make suits of armor custom-tailored to your own design.

Reactive Plating level 1. Ability to create a type of special armor that is not only much stronger than normal will block the _first_ attack that would harm the wearer, no matter how powerful the attack is. This armor cannot be repaired or maintained, any damage done to it is permanent and can not be altered.

New Skill unlocked. Class Runes Smithing.

Rune's unlocked 1/5  
Due to your familiarity with certain classes, you may now create Rune's specifically made for that class.

Minor Rune of Reaping. _When the Rune of Reaping is applied all enemies afflicted with it must pay the crimson tithe before they can begin to heal._ A Rune for the weapon of a Reaper. When this blade deals damage _any_ cut made by this weapon that draws even a drop of blood, will force the victim human or not to exsanguinate a total of .9 percent of their _total,_ not current blood volume. If the target attempts to heal the wound before that amount of blood has been lost the effects of the healing no matter how strong will be reversed damaging them and the wound will continue to worsen. This effect stacks and any other cut that draws blood will force the targeted to exsanguinate the given amount before it can be healed.

Common spells.

 _Passive Guts._ Ignores all but _debilitating_ attacks to your person.

 _Passive Hardy._ Most poisons are less effective, you get sick fare less often and you will take a small amount of reduced damage from all attacks.

 _Passive Cold dead hands._ Your weapon will never be forced from your hands. So long as you do not willingly let go the only way you can be disarmed is through magical means or if your hands are amputated.

 _Passive Thick skulled._ Due to your lack of Intelligence and high Strength, any attempts to charm, hex, seduce, trick, or curse you takes double the effort on the aggressor and all effects are halved. You lack the Intelligence to allow these abilities to fully manifest. You also will take _slightly_ reduced damage from magic attacks.

Curses.

 _Know no_ fear. You will know no fear, you will never run from a fight out of fear and will not let your decisions be ruled by fear as long as you are of _sound_ mental health.

Items.

Amulet of Revelation. Informs you when you are being hexed, cursed or charmed. Does _not_ stop said abilities but will lessen effects.

Compass. A cursed compass of demonic origin points you where you _need_ to go.

Charm of Constitution plus five Constitution

Demonic sigil. Allowing you to communicate with denizens of the twelfth plane of torment and more.

Unknown script. A strange script on the hilt of your weapon what it means is unknown it appears to be demonic in origin...

Cursed plate. No step back. If applied you will not run from the first enemy you see, your first motion is always towards danger no matter how severe said danger.


End file.
